


Prelude to Romance

by fiddlerblue



Category: Doctor Romantic Teacher Kim 2, Romantic Doctor Kim 2, 낭만닥터 김사부 2 | Dr. Romantic 2 (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-06-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:55:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 32,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24403930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fiddlerblue/pseuds/fiddlerblue
Summary: We know how it ended, but how did it begin?These are snippets of Seo Woo Jin and Cha Eun Jae's lives as students in medical school, dealing with the same things as everyone else: cramming for exams, earning some money, trying to please their parents, and falling in love.
Relationships: Lee Sung Kyung/Ahn Hyo Seop, Seo Woo Jin/Cha Eun Jae
Comments: 52
Kudos: 116





	1. Orientation

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own any of the characters from Romantic Doctor 2.
> 
> Hope you enjoy reading!

The bathroom was cold and silent. Sunlight flooded in from the lone window on the far wall, the radiator humming somewhere inside the room. Voices drifted in from outside, gradually getting louder as their owners pass by the door, before disappearing again and letting the silence return, unbroken.   
  


Inside the last stall, Cha Eun Jae sat on the toilet cover, elbows on her knees and head cradled in her hands. She took another deep breath, exhaling slowly through her mouth.

 _'I got this'_ she repeated to herself, over and over. Her feet itched to tap repeatedly on the floor. A nervous tic. She ignored it and closed her eyes.

 _There is nothing to be afraid of_ , she reasoned, There were hundreds of them going through their first day of medical school, and she was one of the best. First impressions are important and she intended to make her mark today. In order to do that, she needed to stop hiding in the bathroom. 

Eun Jae opened her eyes and stood up, straightening her clothes. She flipped the lock open and went to the sink to wash her hands. Admiring her reflection on the mirror, she was relieved to see that her waterproof make-up was still in place. She practiced lifting the corners of her mouth, just slightly. Satisfied, she washed her hands. Just as she was touching up on her lip gloss, two girls came in. Eun Jae smiled at them briefly before returning her eyes to the mirror.

"I'm so nervous, my hands are all clammy." one of the girls moaned.

"Me too," her friend agreed, "I didn't eat anything for breakfast because I felt like like throwing up. I just want this day to be over."

"Excuse me...Are you both first years too?" Eun Jae asked

The first girl nodded at her, "Are you in our class? You're so tall."

Eun Jae smiled softly at the compliment, "Thanks. I'm Cha Eun Jae."

"I'm Lee Hyorin, and this is Kim Seulgi." 

"Nice to meet you both. Do you live here in Seoul?"

"Actually...we're from Busan," Seulgi replied, "we just arrived here yesterday."

"Ahh, you must live in the school dorms?" Eun Jae guessed, and the two girls nodded again, "I lived in Seoul all my life, if you need help looking for places to shop or eat, let me know and I'll make sure to recommend you nice ones!"

"Thank you, that's really helpful." Hyorin said happily, "Everything is so expensive here on campus, we really need to find a supermart to buy snacks and supplies but we don't know where."

Eun Jae grinned, "Don't worry! Shopping is one of my expertise so I got you girls covered."

The three girls grinned at each other and headed out of the bathroom, talking excitedly about their pre-med schools and family backgrounds as they headed towards the orientation room. The room was almost full, and there was an anticipatory energy in the air. There were no three vacant seats together, so the trio were forced to go their separate ways, with a promise to re-convene after the orientation. Eun Jae quickly scanned the room for an empty chair, she spotted one at the rightmost end of the back row, beside a tall guy with messy brown hair.

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" Eun Jae asked him as she approached.

The guy was busy doodling in his notebook, and seemed to not even notice her. She cleared her throat a bit loudly until he looked up, his piercing brown eyes seemed to be reading her thoughts, and it caught her off-balanced. She shifted uncomfortably on her feet and said, "Is that seat empty?"  
The guy turned to the chair beside him, as if noticing it for the first time. He looked back at her, nodded, and went back to his doodling.

Eun Jae frowned, debating if she should try and look for a different place to sit. However, an authoritative voice came from the front of room "Good morning! Take your seats everyone, we will begin our orientation." 

Eun Jae had no choice but to sit down quickly, placing her bag on the floor and taking her notebook and pen out. She stole another glance at the guy beside her and noticed him looking at her. She smiled at him briefly and looked away, focusing on the professor instead as her brain kicks into study mode. 

* * *

"What a long morning."

"I'm starving, let's go find the canteen."

"Do you know where it is?"

"Uh...not really."

Seo Woo Jin tucked his notebook under his arm and left the room wordlessly. It has been a long morning, he acknowledged, and his brain felt fried from trying to absord all the information they were given. 

_Caffeine,_ he thought, two strong cups should do it.

Woo Jin strolled down the hallway, trying to remember where he saw the vending machine earlier. There were lots of excited chatter in the air, from former classmates meeting each other again to new acquiantances. Woo Jin silently glided past them, focused on his task. He's seen several familiar faces from his high school and college in the orientation room, but none of them paid him any attention. It suited Woo Jin just fine, as he wasn't in the mood to try and navigate an awkward social interaction with people he never got to know before. 

Woo Jin finally found the machine. It was in the corner of a small grassy quad in the middle of the building. He reached inside his pocket, searching for change. He took out what's left of his money for the week, sighing heavily. He needed to work overtime again, the room rent needed to be paid before the landlord remembers he hadn't wired the money last month. 

Woo Jin glanced at the choices available in the machine and did a double-take at the prices, his jaw dropped open.

 _1,100won for a cup of coffee? This is just extortion!_ He won't last long in this uni if he can't even afford the coffee!

After several minutes of self-debate, he conceded defeat and fed the right change into the machine. He lamented the fact that the cup was only a third full and took it to the empty bench near the machine, sitting down to slowly enjoy his drink. He counted the money he has left, running his dinner options in his head. His stomach growled in reply, but he ignored it and opened his notebook instead. He stared at his calendar and began to calculate how much overtime he needed to do for the rest of the month.

He was enjoying the relative peace when a bright voice broke the silence. 

"Mom, stop worrying! I told you, I settled well and unpacked yesterday," the girl said aloud to her phone as she crossed the quad, sitting on the bench across from him, "Our orientation just finished, I'm about to get lunch...Yes, I'll eat something good. Wait, why not a ramyun? I swear I could eat two bowls right now after that orientation."

Woo Jin glanced at the girl just as she noticed him. She was the same girl who sat beside him in class, he looked back at his notebook. 

"Fine, I'll have a salad instead," the girl continued in a lower voice, "How are you?...I'll try and come home on the weekend. What did my brother say?...Really? as if he did so well on his first day...Nervous?" the girl laughed forcefully, "Why would I be nervous? I've been working hard to get here so I'm just excited."

 _'Eight shifts this month at the convenience store should do it, and maybe I can look for work closer to the uni too'_ Woo Jin thought as he wrote.

"Honestly, you worry too much. I'm fine. I'm always fine." the girl continued cheerfully, "Oh, mom! I have to go okay? I will call you tonight."

He had some experience working in coffee shops, and there should be plenty off-campus. He'll need to put some time in to looking for one later today and see if they were hiring. 

"Right...bye mom...Have your lunch too. Bye." the girl stood up and headed to the vending machine with a sigh. 

Woo Jin finished the rest of his coffee and stood up, dropping the cup in the bin. He noticed the girl still standing in front of the vending machine, checking her bag and pockets for change. Finally, she groaned in frustration, "Why didn't I bring any change with me?" she muttered to herself, "this is so annoying."

Woo Jin fished inside his pockets and took out some change. He tapped the girl's shoulder, "Hey."

The girl turned around, "Oh, hi."

"Here you go." Woo Jin said, dropping the change into her hand.

She stared at the coins dumbly, "What?"

Woo Jin pointed at the vending machine, "For your drink?"

She blinked at him several times, "Oh, um...thank you. really." her face broke into a grateful smile, "Sorry to trouble you, I'll pay you back."

Woo Jin shrugged, "It's fine." he said, walking away.

"Hey, wait!"

He stopped and looked back at her, waiting.

"You're in my class, right?" she said, uncertain, "I'm Cha Eun Jae, by the way."

He nodded a little, "Seo Woo Jin."

They stared at each other silently, but after a second Eun Jae blinked and cleared her throat "Well...nice to meet you. Thank you again."

"Sure." he said, then he left and walked back inside the building, already thinking of where he will look for work tonight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > Original characters are works of fiction, any resemblance to real people are highly coincidental.   
> > Coffee is life in medical school.


	2. Study Group

"Ya, Cha Eun Jae, let's take a break." Seulgi said tiredly, dropping her head on the table while looking at her friend with puppy eyes.

Eun Jae raised an eyebrow and smiled, never taking her eyes off her textbook. "Come on Seulgi, it's only been an hour since we started. There are five chapters left to read."

"Actually, we've been here for three hours," Hyorin piped in, massaging the back of her neck, "that wall clock isn't working."

Eun Jae gasped and turned her phone over. Her friend was right, it was a little over 11pm now. She didn't notice that most of the students in the library had left. "I'm so sorry! I got carried away. Why didn't you tell me it was so late?"

Seulgi let out a big yawn, stretching her arms wide. "You were so engrossed in your reading, we couldn't stop you" she said, "plus, you are our best chance of passing the midterms since you write the most detailed notes in class, so we wanted you to stay focused."

"I see, you used me," Eun Jae said accusingly, "Well played, Lee Seulgi."

Her friend grinned at sheepishly, "I'll buy you dinner?"

Eun Jae shook her head, "It's too late for me to eat now, plus I'm not hungry."

"How can you say that?" Hyorin said, "you only had half a sandwich for lunch. Come on, at least let's get something to drink before heading home."

Eun Jae sighed, "Fine. I'll come." she said, "I could use some tea to relax."

The trio packed their bags and left the campus library. The air was chilly, but at least it wasn't snowing. Eun Jae pulled her scarf tighter around her neck to keep warm as they walk along the deserted street.

"The midterms are going to kill me." Hyorin declared.

"You say that EVERY midterm week and you always end up fine," Seulgi said, rolling her eyes, "it's me whose dying here. How am I supposed to remember all six hundred muscles and which is connected to which bone?" 

"It's ridiculous, isn't it?" Hyorin agreed, "and this is only our second year, I don't know how I'm going to cope once we start our internship."

"Ohhh I'm getting palpitations just thinking about it." Seulgi said

Eun Jae laughed, linking her arms with her friends, "Hey hey, enough of this negativity, ya? We survived the first year, we will survive this year too. Those six hundred muscles are nothing, we'll recite them everyday if we have to, we'll do it in our sleep!"

"Easy for you to say, Eun Jae" Hyorin grumbled, "you are top of the class."

"And you are a walking anatomy book," Seulgi added

"Not to mention information sticks into your brain without any effort" Hyorin finished, "what we really need is for you to give us some of your brain cells!"

Eun Jae shook her head, her hair bouncing on her shoulders "and I'm your friend, right? Who else is going to benefit from this brain of mine but my two favourite girls? Leave it to me, we will pass the midterms together!"

They all squealed and raised their fists into the air, laughing as they entered a cozy and dimly-lit cafe. Hyorin ordered drinks for the three of them while the other two chose their seats.

"Seriously though," Seulgi said thoughtfully once Hyorin was back, "we need some help. No offense Eun Jae, because you are the most amazing, cleverest, sweetest, brightest star--"

"Just say it, Seulgi."

"--medical student out there, but even Biochemistry is out of your league."

Eun Jae scoffed, "I do all right." she started to say, but Hyorin nodded in agreement, "We need more people in our study group. Someone good in math."

"If we cover all of the subjects and combine our notes together, we are definitely going to pass." Seulgi continued, "more than just barely pass, we are going to dominate that class ranking!"

"It's a good idea," Eun Jae agreed, "but who do you have in mind?"

Hyorin shrugged, "Well there is Kim Daehwi, he is like number 4 in the class and knows his stuff."

Seulgi snorted, "and he's a pompous ass too. Next."

They all giggled, going over more names from their class. They had a list of three names to try and persuade to join them when their drinks arrived. 

"Sorry for the wait." the server said, "Chamomile tea?"

"It's mine, thank you." Eun Jae replied, smiling at the server. Her eyes widened when she realised who it was, her smile frozen in place.

"Seo Woo Jin?"

Woo Jin looked just as surprised to see them. He recovered quickly, putting the mugs of hot drinks down on their table. "Hey."

"I didn't know you work here." Eun Jae said

"I do some shifts every now and then," he replied, "anyway, enjoy your drinks."  
  


They all said thanks and watched him walk away. Once he was out of earshot, Hyorin turned to them, eyes wide, "We need him." 

Eun Jae shook her head as she sipped from her mug, "No, we don't."

"Ummm, yes we do?" Seulgi said excitedly, "He is ranked two in our class. With you and him in our study group, we are invincible!"

"And he aced every Biochemistry exam we had so far." Hyorin added. 

"How did you know that?" Eun Jae asked incredulously

Hyorin folded her arms over her chest, "Everyone does. Woo Jin's average has never dropped from the upper 1 percentile of our class. It would be big news when he finally fails one, although I don't see that happening."

"How does he manage working and studying at the same time? Our schedules are so full!" Seulgi said in amazement. 

"Who knows?" Hyorin said, "but I know if he agrees we have a higher chance of ranking up. What do you say, Eun Jae?"

Eun Jae pretended to be too busy sipping her tea to answer. Her eyes followed Woo Jin around the cafe as he puts away the mugs into the cupboard. She could see a textbook lying open by the cashier, notes spread on the countertop beside it. When he turned around, his eyes found hers and she quickly looked at the other side, pretending to admire the cafe's interiors.

"Cha Eun Jae," Seulgi said firmly, "are you just saying no because he is your competition?"

"W-what?" Eun Jae spluttered, "I don't know what you mean."

"You two have been going head to head in everything. Even in our extra-curriculars, you try to outdo each other."

Eun Jae shrugged, "Really? I never noticed." she said, as casually as could manage. 

Hyorin and Seulgi shared a knowing look. Eun Jae sighed, "Besides, there is no chance he will say yes. He's not exactly...sociable."

"We won't know until we try, right?" Seulgi said brightly

"Does this mean you're saying yes?" Hyorin said hopefully, "please Eun Jae. For the sake of my future, please say yes!"

Seulgi put her hands together and bowed her head, "Please!"

Eun Jae laughed and shook her head, "Fine. You win! Ask him and see what he says."

Hyorin let out a squeal and stood up, excited. She cleared her throat and made her way to the counter, where Woo Jin was sat with his head buried on the textbook. 

Eun Jae and Seulgi watched as their friend attempted to talk to Woo Jin. He looked polite enough, nodding at her and listening to what she says. In the end, he said something shortly before turning back to his book. Hyorin turned around and gave a thumbs down to her friends with a pout.

"Damn it." Seulgi said, with a loud sigh, "That's one down."

Eun Jae smiled sympathetically. "What did he say?" she asked Hyorin

"He's busy and don't think he can fit it in his schedule." Hyorin said, defeated, "I was so sure he'd say yes."

"Really? I knew there's a high chance he'll say no. He's always been a lone sheep." Seulgi remarked, finishing her drink, "I guess we better go home."

"Well, we can still try the other names in our list tomorrow." Eun Jae said cheerfully, determied to keep the energy positive.

It seemed to work, and her friends went out of the cafe still in bright spirits. Eun Jae looked back at where Woo Jin was sitting, but his eyes never left his book. 

* * *

The following day, the girls managed to convince two of their classmates to join their study group. They divided the reading between each other, writing their own notes and combining all of it by the end of the week to review. They also planned study group sessions during the weekend. Eun Jae became quickly engrossed in studying for the midterms, her time divided between her classes and cramming in the library. 

One morning, she was walking across campus with coffee in one hand and her notes in the other. She heard someone call her name and she turned to follow the voice. She saw several booths on the side and in one of them a tall be-spectacled guy was waving cheerfully at her. It was Bae Moon-Jeong. 

"Oh, sunbae! Hi. Hello." Eun Jae said, flustered as she approached him. She tucked her hair shyly behind her ears.

"Hi, how are you?" Moon-Jeong greeted her, smiling, "You seemed very busy."

"Ah yes, it's the midterms soon so..." Eun Jae said, faltering at the end. Her heart was beating so fast she could hardly hear him speak. She tried to focus on the conversation but her eyes were too busy staring at his sparkling eyes and his perfect straight teeth.

"...so what do you say?" he inquired, looking at her expectantly

Eun Jae blinked hard, surprised. "Oh...uh, sorry?"

Moon Jeong just smiled, amused, "Would you be interested in joining the Bone Club?" he repeated patiently, his eyes searching hers hopefully.

Eun Jae blushed and swayed a bit "Uh yeah of course! I'd love to! I love bones." she added, and instantly she felt like dying inside with embarassment.

Moon Jeong didn't seem to notice. He pressed a form eagerly into her hands and for the next fifteen minutes, gave her a lecture about the club and their activities. Eun Jae listened attentively and by the end of it, she felt like it was a good bargain for joining a club she didn't even know existed. 

Eun Jae left the booth with a spring in her step, humming softly as she entered the classroom. THe teacher was already in the front so Eun Jae quickly sat on the nearest available chair. 

"How long has she started?" she whispered to the person next to her.

"Just now." he replied shortly

Eun Jae turned to say thank you and saw that it was Woo Jin. She sighed instead and opened her Biochemistry textbook. 

After a few minutes, Eun Jae bit her lip, remembering what her friends said about Woo Jin's expertise. She decided there was no harm in asking him again. She leaned a bit to her left and whispered, "Hey, can I ask you something."

"We're in class." he replied, not bothering to whisper. 

Eun Jae glared at him, inhaling sharply. "After then?"

"Uh huh."

She decided to let it go, looking back at the front of the class and tried to pay attention to their professor. As soon as the bell rang, she cornered him before he could leave the room and told him about the study group.

He sat at the edge of the table, staring at her with his unreadable eyes for a long moment before saying, "No thanks."

"Please, won't you even consider?" Eun jae said, trying to remain friendly, "we could really use your help since you're very good in Biochem."

Woo Jin smirked and shook his head, "I'm flattered, but the answer is still no."

Eun Jae too a deep breath, "You will be benefitting from it too." she insisted, "I will give you all my notes. Everyone's working hard to put it together. It will help you keep your ranking and save you plenty of time.""

"I don't want them."

"Why are you so stubborn?" she said in exasperation, putting her hands on her waist.

Woo Jin matched her by folding his arms across his chest, "I could ask you the same question. I'm sure I said before that I don't want to be a mmeber of your silly little group. I do just fine by myself, and I'm sure you'd rather work without me anyway. It's not like we're close."

They glared at each other for a long moment, until Woo Jin chuckled under his breath and stood up, preparing to leave. Eun Jae reached out on impulse by putting a hand on his wrist, "Wait." she said, hesitantly.

Woo Jin stared at her hand, and Eun Jae immediately drew it back, forcing herself to speak, "Okay, I admit you don't have to help us. My friends think that you can help them pass the subject, they are beyond worried about their grades and frankly, I wish I could do it alone but I can't do a good job of explaining the theories...so please, for their sake, could you think about it?"

"Even if it's just for an hour, anything you can do will be a huge help." she added, cursing herself for sounding so desperate. 

Woo Jin studied her face, as if he was searching for something in there. Was it just her imagination or he looked extremely uncomfortable? Suddenly, Eun Jae felt bad for putting him on the spot.

She was just about to tell him to forget about it when he answered, "Okay."

"Okay?" she echoed

"Okay," he repeated, pushing past her and leaving the room.

"We're meeting at the library after school tomorrow!" she called after him.

He raised a hand to show that he heard her, and Eun Jae sighed with relief.

* * *

"Are you sure he's coming?" Seulgi said doubtfully.

"He said he would." Eun Jae insisted with a frown.

Seulgi checked her watch, sighed, and went back to reading her notes.

Eun Jae kept an eye on the library door as she reads, looking up everytime it opens. They stayed their for two more hours, but Woo Jin never came. Finally, it was almost midnight and they were forced to call it a night. Eun Jae was disappointed that he didn't show up, and was apologetic to her study group mates. 

"It wasn't your fault." one of the new members, Jinho, said as he pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"He's always been unpredictable." Kibum, the other new member, agreed. 

Hyorin shrugged, "Well, we still covered plenty of material today. I think we can just focus on what we have and leave Biochem last, what do you all think?"

They agreed to do as she said and planned several more sessions throughout the next two weeks. The midterms will be held for two weeks after that. 

They met regularly in the library after school and even on their breaktimes. Eun Jae began to divide her lunch hour between eating and writing her notes as fast as she can. Finally, three days later everyone in their group finished writing and were happy to combine their hard work together. 

"Wow, this is a really thick pile!" Eun Jae exclaimed, holding the binder with both hands. "Seriously, I could use this for my workout."

Seulgi grinned, "Now comes the hard part of actually reading the whole thing."

"Do you think a week and a half is enough?" Hyorin said worriedly

Kibum shrugged, "It should be fine, we've gone over everything in the notes several times anyway. At this point, we're just repeating it to make sure we retained everything."

"Thank you for your hard work everyone!" Jinho said, grinning

Seulgi sighed, "In the end, Woo Jin never did show up."

Eun Jae frowned thoughtfully, "Actually, I don't remember seeing him in class this week. What about you?"

They all shook their heads. She had a sinking feeling in her stomach, maybe he didn't mean to ditch their study group?   
"Does anyone have his contact number?"

Nobody did. Eun Jae tried to ask several other members of their class but no one seemed to know his number or where he lives.   
  


When class was over, Eun Jae decided to visit the cafe he works in. "Excuse me," she said to the girl over the counter.

"Hello! What can I get you?"

"Sorry, I'm not here to order," Eun Jae said politely, "I was wondering if you know a guy named Seo Woo Jin who works here?"

"Ahh yah, the part-timer?"

Eun Jae nodded, "Yes. Would you happen to know if he's coming in today? I'm from his class and he hasn't been in for a while so..."

The girl shook her head, "I heard the manager say he's off sick, so he hasn't been in for five days."

"Oh, really? Would you happen to have his phone number?"

The girl hesitated, "My manager does, but we're not allowed to give personal information of our staff. Sorry."

Eun Jae shook her head, "No no, that's okay. I was only wondering if he's okay since we haven't heard from him at all."

"If he does show up, I'd tell him you were looking for him."

"Oh no, actually...please don't tell him." Eun Jae stammered, "Thanks for your help. Bye!"

* * *

The following day, Eun Jae spotted Woo Jin by his locker. She hurried down the corridor and tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey, where were you?" she demanded

Woo Jin turned to look at her before his eyes rolled up to the ceiling, "What now?" he said, groaning.

She frowned at him, "You've been gone all week, what happened?"

He shrugged and went back to getting his things, "I was sick."

He does look like he's been sick, Eun Jae thought as she observed him. His skin was pale, his voice sounded raspy, and he seemed to be sweating even when its below zero outside.

Eun Jae bit her lip, "Are you sure you're well enough to be here? Do you need to go to the nurse?"

Woo Jin sighed out loud and closed his locker, ignoring her. 

Eun Jae suddenly moved in front of him, blocking his way. "Wait, I have something for you."

She quickly opened her bag and took out the heavy binder. She pressed it towards Woo Jin, who stared at in in surprise.

"What's this?"

"The notes," she simply said, "for the midterms?"

She cleared her throat as he continued to stare at the binder in his hands, "I did all of Anatomy, you would find it's colour coded and I even added a legend to make it easier to find the info you need. I made tables for the muscles by area and how they are connected to the bone and their nerve supply. I even drew models at the back as Appendix A, to help you visualize what they look like," she said, pleased with her effort, "I would suggest doing that first since that's the major bulk of the exam and would help you with the other subjects too."

"Why are you giving this to me?" Woo Jin finally asked, sounding amazed.

"Well...because you're part of the group, right?" Eun Jae answered slowly, "besides, you missed so much class hours, you will need all the help you can get. I coloured the ones from this week in green marker, by the way. Maybe you ought to read that first..."

Woo Jin raised his eyebrows, looking at her in disbelief. He pushed the binder back towards her, "I don't want it."

Eun Jae narrowed her eyes "What?"

"What's the catch?"

"There isn't one," Eun Jae retorted, pushing it back towards him, "Why would you refuse it? You're lucky I'm giving you one. Everyone is begging for us to share it with them."

Woo Jin hesitated, "Well," he began, shifting his weight on his feet while looking down, "I wasn't really part of the group. I never showed up."

"Well...yeah, you are right," Eun Jae acknowledged, but still she pressed the binder back into his hands, "you still need this though, so I'm giving it to you. If you still feel bad about not helping us, you have a week left to do something about it."

She smiled at him and was rewarded by a small smile in return. She was so surpised by how much it lit up his entire face, and she suddenly thought he should do it more often. Before she could comment about it, the smile was gone and he was turning away from her.

"Well...thank you for this." he said awkwardly

"Oh, don't mention it," Eun Jae said lightly, then remembering herself she reached back inside her bag and took out a piece of paper. "Oh, here's my number by the way, in case you want to join us."

She placed the paper on top of the binder before he could refuse, along with a packet of paracetamol, "and the medicine is in case you need it later. I hope to see you there."

Before he could reply, Eun Jae grinned at him and walked away, congratulating herself for getting the last line this time around. 

  
"Aigo, my brain feels like its been squeezed like a sponge."Hyorin said with a groan.

"You're doing well, Hyorin" Eun Jae said cheerfully, going over the equations her friend completed, "see? just two mistakes this time around."

"Check you out, Miss Kim Hyorin!" Seulgi jumped in, "you are a studying machine."

"I know what you two are doing," Hyorin said with a huff, "and I don't want you both to stop."

"Yes ma'am!" they said, grinning

"Seriously, some of these Biochem formulas don't make sense," Kibum muttered, "I mean look at this one, how do you even begin to solve this equation?"

"Just add this bottom line to the top and then combine equation A with B." Jinho said automatically

"How did you get equation B, though?" Kibum asked 

Jinho pushed his glasses up and smiled sheepishly, "I can't remember. Hold on."

Hyorin watched the two boys debate about how to solve the problem, shaking her head, "We're doomed." she announced

Eun Jae, refusing to give up, pulled the textbook closer to her, "Let's look at it one more time. How do we find the number of hydrogens needed for this reaction?"

"First, you need to understand the formula." a voice from the end of their table chimed in.

They all looked up. Seo Woo Jin stood there, awkwardly holding his bag and the binder Eun Jae gave him earlier. He avoided eye contact with everyone, clearing his throat loudly and putting his things down on the chair nearest him.

"Converting bio-compounds is simple once you understand the process. I brought my notes with me...if you care to have a look." he said to no one in particular.

Eun Jae exchanged stunned looks with her friends, who were as wide-eyed like her. Kibum and Jinho recovered first, and they shouted out with glee as they descended upon Woo Jin like hawks.

"All these formulas don't make sense though, how did you use it to derive the answer?" Jinho asked him, looking up from the notes.

Woo Jin took a pencil out and a piece of paper, "Well...maybe we start with the basics first."

They all gathered eagerly around him. Eun Jae found herself directly across the table from Woo Jin, and she smiled inwardly as they gave him their full attention, his previous absence already forgotten.

* * *

Three weeks later, the dreaded midterms were finally over. The Superior Six, as Kibum called their study group, stood together by the bulletin board, waiting for the results of their exams to be posted. Eun Jae rubbed her hands together in anticipation as their professor moved away. The whole class pushed forward excitedly, searching for their name.

Suddenly, the hall was full of loud cheers, frustrated outbursts, and shouts of joy. Everyone seemed to be in various stages of crying. 

"We made it!!!" Kibum shouted from the front of the board, looking back at their group

Hyorin gasped and squealed, hugging Eun Jae and Seulgi tightly, "We did it!"

Jinho and Kibum crowded the girls and the five of them formed a huge group hug, grabbing Woo Jin at the last minute but he refused to budge.

Woo Jin checked his watch, "I better get to work."

"See you, man," Kibum said, grinning, "We're still on tomorrow?"

Woo Jin nodded, "Sure. See you."

Eun Jae pushed forward to read the scores, letting out a long sigh of relief as she saw her name beside the score of 94% near the top of the list.

Seulgi squeezed her arm, "A 94%? That's your highest score so far! That's amazing, Eun Jae! I'm so proud!"

Everyone started buzzing around her and congratulated her. Eun Jae smiled shyly and said thank you, while deep inside she felt like she could fly. Her eyes went back to the list and noticed one name above hers.  
  


**Seo Woo Jin - 96%  
Chae Eun Jae - 94%**

Eun Jae gasped and turned to find Woo Jin in the crowd. She saw just in time as he disappeared out of the door. She deflated a bit, just as her phone buzzed in her hand. She opened the message and read.

_**"Better luck next time, Cha Eun Jae."** _

Eun Jae pressed her lips together in annoyance and typed a reply back. _**"You wouldn't have made it without my help. You owe me."**_

The reply came a few minutes later, _**"You begged me to join, in case you forgot. Anyway, I had fun."**_

He had fun? Eun Jae shook her head at the mystery that is Seo Woo Jin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > I wonder what they talk about in Bone Club. @_@  
> > I hope you're enjoying the story so far. I'm trying to make the characters stay as close to their cannon personalities as possible, hopefully I'm doing a good job. Please let me know what you think~


	3. Extra-Curricular

Cha Eun Jae leaned back on her hands, face turned towards the sun. She was seated on the grass, enjoying the breeze after being stuck indoors all afternoon. Their last class had been cancelled, so she and her friends decided to ditch the library and go outside. 

“Why can’t we have classes outdoors?” Eun Jae asked out loud.

Jinho opened one eye to look at her, “The temptation to sleep would be too great.”

“Or just to have fun, for once.” Seulgi agreed, “it would be too cruel.”

Eun Jae laughed, “Since when did you guys become so morose?”

“Since we entered our third year and our workload has doubled.” Seulgi said mournfully

“Can you believe we’re at least halfway through medical school?” Jinho said, “any ideas yet what you’d like to specialise in?” 

Seulgi crossed her arms under head and used it as as pillow, “I’ve been thinking for a while now,” she began, “and I would really like to be a rehab or orthopaedic doctor.” 

“Wow, I’m impressed. I didn’t realise you liked that field.” Eun Jae said admiringly

Seulgi smiled, “You know I always liked playing sports and want to learn how to support athletes to train their muscles to perform better. Orthopaedics also seem interesting and is an increasingly important field in medicine, with bone grafts and different methods of operation. It entails a lot of skill not just about the medical part but also mechanical.”

Eun Jae studied her friend suspiciously, “You’ve been talking to sunbae Moon-Jeong.”

Seulgi grinned sheepishly, “I’m actually enjoying Bone Club, not gonna lie!”

Eun Jae snorted, “I wish I can say the same.”

“Anyway, it’s not just because of sunbae, I’m seriously considering it,” Seulgi poked Jinho’s arm, “your turn.”

“I’ll go to the US and do my Master’s degree,” Jinho declared, “my parents are already there, so there’s no problem moving. If I can maintain my average it should be enough to get into John Hopkins.”

“Wow, I hope you get in so I can visit and see what its like there," Seulgi said wistfully, “What about you, Eun Jae?”

Eun Jae hesitated, "Actually, I don't know yet."

“That’s unlike you,” Seulgi said, raising her eyebrows, “I thought you have every single step of your career planned out by now.”

Eun Jae laughed, “Not at all. Nothing stands out for me. I mean, we haven’t even started our hospital duty yet...so maybe that would help me make up my mind.”

“Yeah, there’s plenty of time left to decide anyway.” Jinho agreed, “Anything could happen, nothing is set in stone yet.”

“Well, when you do decide, I’m sure you’ll have no trouble,” Seulgi said brightly, “You’re good at everything, they’ll be fighting over you when the time comes.”

Eun Jae was saved from commenting by the arrival of Hyorin and Kibum, whose hands were linked together. 

“We’ve been looking for you everywhere!” Hyorin cried as she sat down beside Eun Jae, pulling Kibum down. 

“We thought we’ll disappear and give you lovebirds some time alone.” Seulgi said teasingly

Hyorin blushed prettily, but Kibum just laughed. 

“We did try to find you,” Eun Jae said, “but don’t know where you both went.”

“We were called in an emergency student council meeting,” Kibum explained, “for the Medicine Week. We had to decide what sort of activities to do.”

“Sounds fun,” Seulgi commented

“Any idol performances?” Jinho asked hopefully

Kibum shook his head, “No chance. Mostly fund raising booths and a sports competition.”

“there’s also Music of the Night, which is part of the main gala.” Hyorin added

“What’s that?”

“It’s a music competition,” Hyorin explained, “Singing, musical instruments...that kind of thing? There has to be a representative per class.”

Eun Jae straightened up, “Can we play anything we like?” 

Kibum looked at her curiously, "You’re going to join?” 

Eun Jae shrugged casually, “I’m actually a pretty decent violinist. I would love to play.” 

Hyorin clapped her hands with delight, “Great! The posters will go up today with all the details. All you have to do is find a partner and then you can sign up.”

“Wait...I need a partner?”

Kibum nodded, “Yeah, all contestants have to be in pairs but you are free to choose what you would like to perform.” 

Eun Jae bit her lip thoughtfully, “I guess I’ll have to look for a partner. Jinho?” 

Jinho grimaced, “Sorry Eun Jae, I can only play basic piano.”

Hyorin immediately shook her head as Eun Jae turned to her, “You know I can’t sing, and I can’t play any instrument.”

“You never told us you can play the violin," Seulgi commented, "I can't wait to hear you play."

“It's just a hobby of mine, really." Eun Jae said modestly

"Well, let's hope someone agrees to be your partner because I'm excited for you."

"Thanks. So what other activities are they preparing?"

The conversation moved on to another topic, but Eun Jae found herself still thinking about the competition and playing her violin again. 

* * *

Seo Woo Jin was trying to finish his paper about Parkinson’s Disease before he goes to work that evening. It’s due tomorrow, and he doesn’t have any other time to do it. He picked up another book from his pile, scanned the page quickly, and began copying the information onto his paper. 

Usually he gets a lot of work done in the library around this time. It was lunch and the weather was sunny again, everyone should be sitting and bickering outside. However, there were quite a few crammers just like him, and the whispering seemed to heavy with excitement. 

“Maybe we should do a sing and dance performance?” 

“But we need to know how big the stage would be.” 

“I heard the cash prize is quite lofty.”

“Yeah, the council received a generous donation apparently.”

“We have to sign up soon!” 

“I can’t. I’m too nervous to play in front of everyone!”

A few seats away from him, Seulgi leaned across the table and whispered, "“Have you found a partner yet?"

“No,” Eun Jae answered, sighing softly, “I haven’t had time to ask around, really.” 

“Do you want me to try?” Seulgi asked her quietly

Eun Jae shook her head, “Ahh it’s not big deal! Don’t trouble yourself.” 

“Why? Did you change your mind?” 

“Mmm...”Eun Jae said absent-mindedly, resting her chin on one hand, “it would be nice to compete. I tried asking some people but they all seemed to be hesitant to play because there is so much pressure to do it in front of the whole school.” 

“If you really want to do it, we should try again.” Seulgi told her

“We’ll see, maybe after the exam tomorrow. People might be easier to convince then.” Eun Jae said, grinning.

“I heard Jimin and Hyesun from Year 4 are pairing up to do a singing duet.” 

“Kyaaah,that is going to be awesome. They’re both so good.”

Woo Jin exhaled loudly and glared at the two girls, “Do you mind gossiping somewhere else? I’m trying to work.” 

Eun Jae glared back at him, “Why don’t you move? We were here first.” 

“Why should I? You’re not even studying."

Eun Jae held her book up “Yes we are, its called taking a break. You might want to have one now.” 

The two engaged in a silent staring contest until Seulgi cleared her throat, “He has a point. Maybe we should go outside and get some sun. Who knows, we might find someone who can play the piano.” 

Eun Jae sighed, “All right, let’s ask around.”

“I can play.” Woo Jin said suddenly 

The two girls turned back at him in surprise. Woo Jin focused on Eun Jae, watching the debate happening inside her head as she tried to keep a straight face. 

He leaned back on his chair, “I could help you out.” 

Eun Jae raised her chin, “Hmph, and what do you want in return.”

Woo Jin shook his head, “Nothing much. Just a share of the prize money, I heard its quite...generous.” 

Eun Jae folded her arms across her chest, “What is it you’re really after?” she asked suspiciously, “Are you just teasing me?”

Woo Jin slowly turned back to his book, “If you don’t want my help, it’s fine....”

Seulgi elbowed her friend, smiling brightly at Woo Jin “She would love to accept! Come on Eun Jae, let’s go so Woo Jin can finish his work.” 

“I never said I’d accept.” Eun Jae protested

One corner of his mouth lifted , “I can help you win,” he said casually, “I’m a pretty decent pianist.”

Eun Jae grabbed her books from the table and turned away from him. Then she did a half-turn, hesitated, then finally faced him. “I’ll think about it.” she announced before leaving. 

Woo Jin smiled to himself. He really should stop provoking her, but it’s amusing to see her reaction. She wore her emotions in her sleeve, and her face gets animated when she is annoyed. Her eyes sparkled when she spoke about the competition, and she was trying to hide her excitement when she realized there is a chance she could enter. Woo Jin shook his head to erase the image from his head, and concentrated once again on his work.,

* * *

“Right,” Eun Jae said across the table from Woo Jin, “I think we should play Chopin.”

Woo Jin snorted, “Ridiculous. We need at least a month of practice for that.” 

“Nonsense. We have enough time, we can practice everyday after school.” 

“I have work.” Woo Jin deadpanned

“and even for a longer time on weekends.” Eun Jae continued, ignoring him.

“I have work.” 

“You always have work.” Eun Jae retorted

“Well some of us weren’t born rich.” Woo Jin shot right back

Eun Jae took a deep breath, “Fine. If we put in two hours everyday, we have 30 hours of practice until the gala." she said between gritted teeth

“Not enough,” Woo Jin said, “Let’s do Midnight Sonata.”

Eun Jae laughed, “As if that’s any better? That’s just as difficult!” 

Woo Jin shrugged, “I played it tons when I was a child.” he boasted, “seemed pretty easy.” 

Eun Jae made a face but she shook her head, “No. I haven’t played it for years. Let’s do Chopin.” 

“I said no.” 

“Well, I’m not playing Midnight Sonata either!” Eun Jae finally cried, heatedly.

They glared at each other, fuming. 

Hyorin watched the two fight, biting her fingernail nervously, “Are they going to be all right?” she asked, loud enough for Eun Jae to hear. 

Seulgi shook her head and turned back to her book.

Kibum approached the two slowly, a hesitant smile on his face, “Come on you two, how are you supposed to play together if you can’t even agree on a piece?” he elbowed Woo Jin gently, “what other choices are there? Schubart?”

“No.” Woo Jin and Eun Jae both said firmly at the same time.

Kibum raised his hands in defeat, “Well, I tried.”

Eun Jae pinched the space between her eyebrows, “he’s right,” she muttered, “we have to decide a piece together that we both feel comfortable to play.” 

Woo Jin didn’t comment, but he leaned forward to look at the selection pieces she brought and studied each one silently. Finally, he tapped a finger on one of them and looked at her, “What about this?"

Eun Jae leaned forward to read the title, “Butterfly Waltz?" she read, nodding a little, "I played it before. I can do it, I think."

“You don’t sound confident.” Woo Jin remarked innocently, looking back down at their choices and ignoring her deathly stare. 

“It’s been years since I played properly.” Eun Jae confessed, suddenly anxious that she might not be able to play as well as she hoped to do. The excitement she felt when she first signed up has now evaporated into nervous, restless energy. She needed to play to reassure herself.

When she looked at Woo Jin, she realised he was watching her. Eun Jae quickly busied herself with putting the rest of the pieces in a pile, then ran her eyes through the score. She could hear the music playing in her head, and she itched to try it herself. 

“Shall we go—“ Eun Jae started to say, but Woo Jin had already stood up.

“I have a shift at the cafe in ten minutes.” he said, “I’ll meet you at the music room tonight.” 

“But—“ 

“See ya.” Woo Jin said as he took off.

Eun Jae sighed in defeat. “See you there.” 

_Are we really going to be okay?,_ she thought worriedly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >Since they mentioned in the drama that Eun Jae plays the violin, I was expecting a scene with Lee Sung Kyung using the violin she dragged with her to Doldam. Too bad it was never used.   
> > Woo Jin looks like a musically-inclined person, so I'm imagining he can play the piano and the guitar.   
> >If you're interested to hear their chosen song, search Butterfly Waltz by Brian Crain (piano & violin duet) on Youtube. It's so lovely~


	4. Butterfly Waltz

That night, Woo Jin headed to the music room apprehensively. The hallways were dimly lit and quiet, most of the students have either gone home or were studying in the library. There was no one else in sight. 

He can hear faint music coming from behind the closed door. Woo Jin gently eased the door open, and he found Eun Jae standing in the middle of the room, eyes closed, her fingers moving effortlessly over the violin while the other dances with the bow gracefully. Their chosen song was playing in the background, and Eun Jae followed with the ease of someone who understands the violin perfectly. 

Woo Jin watched her, unmoving. Her long, brown hair was tied back into a top knot, a few tendrils had escaped to frame her eyes. She swayed along to the music, oblivious to him and the dimly-lit music room they were in. Only the front lights were turned on, directly over the piano, and it acted like a spotlight on Eun Jae, the space illuminated around her while the rest of the room were shrouded in shadows. She looked completely at ease, the tension lines that always seem to be in her forehead had disappeared. She looked softer, and at peace.

The music ended, Eun Jae pulled the bow one last time with a flourish, breathing deeply. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and finally noticed him by the door. “Hey, I didn’t hear you come in.” 

Woo Jin told himself to move forward, putting his bag down on one of the seats. He noticed one of the tables cluttered with papers, pens, and highlighters. A medical textbook lay opened and abandoned on top of the mess. “How long have you been practising?” he asked

Eun Jae looked at her watch, “About an hour, I guess? I was bored.” she admitted

Woo Jin sat on the piano bench and tried a few keys. “What do you think?” he asked her, “of the piece, I mean.”

“Not too bad,” Eun Jae answered, “I guess the tricky bit would be to synchronise our playing.” 

Woo Jin nodded as he folded the sleeves of his jumper, “Shall we have a go?” he asked her

Eun Jae smiled and placed her violin on her shoulder in reply. 

* * *

Another thirty minutes passed by, during which Eun Jae had to grudgingly admit that Woo Jin was indeed a good pianist. His fingers tap the keys lightly, almost reverently, as he play. Never once did she see him look at the music sheet, and the more they play the more convinced she was that he knew the piece by heart. 

“When did you start playing the piano?” she asked when they stopped for a break. 

Woo Jin turned around in his seat to face her, “When I was nine, I guess.”

“Ah, your parents taught you or did you have a teacher...?”

“My aunt did.” he answered shortly.

“You are...pretty good,” Eun Jae admitted, reluctantly.

She thought he was going to rub it in, but he simply shrugged, “I only know enough to play the easy pieces.”

“Butterfly Waltz isn’t easy.” she pointed out.

“No, it’s not,” he agreed, “but I played it many times growing up. It’s the practice piece I often use.”

“I see. Is that why you chose it?” 

“Well,” he began slowly, “I thought between the two of us you will probably have more experience and will adjust better, so I thought its easier to find something I know to play rather than trying to learn it while attempting to synchronise with you.” 

Eun Jae stared at him, then she smiled bemusedly, “So you admit that I’m better than you?” 

He scoffed, “Who has the time or the money to spend on music lessons these days?” 

She shook her head, “It was a good decision I guess, now that we’re both familiar with the piece we just need to work on the timing. That should improve the more we practice together.”

Woo Jin nodded, picking on a loose thread on his pants “What about you? When did you learn to play?” 

“When I was six. I had plenty of money and time, like you said.”

Woo Jin chuckled, and once again Eun Jae felt disarmed by his smile. She looked away and busied herself with cleaning her violin. “I’m the youngest in my family, and my mum is a housewife and put all her attention on me. So I went to violin and piano lessons, I did ballet, gymnastics, I even went on baking classes. I tried them all, but I loved the violin the most.” 

Woo Jin nodded along and said, “I could tell.” he said. thoughtfully

“Really? how?” she asked, curiously

He shrugged, “When you play, it just seems like it’s a part of you. You get completely lost in the music.”

She felt her cheeks grew pink, “I didn’t notice that.” 

“Of course not, the player rarely does.” he said, his brown eyes gazing at her softly. 

She felt a sudden warmness enveloping her as she stared back into his eyes, so deep and inscrutable. She realised that they’ve never been alone together before, nor have they enjoyed a conversation without bickering, and she had to admit that she doesn’t mind spending time with him. 

Her phone buzzed at that moment, breaking the mood in the room. Eun Jae opened the message from Hyorin:

_**“Hey! We’re at the restaurant now. Want me to order you some food?”** _

Eun Jae gasped, looking at the time. She forgot that she was supposed to grab some dinner with her friends. She quickly gathered her belongings, “I have to go. I need to meet Seulgi and Hyorin for dinner.” 

Woo Jin just nodded, “Right. I’d practice a bit more before I go.”

Eun Jae stopped and looked at him “It’s already 9pm, are you not hungry?” she hesitated for a second before adding, “Do you want to grab a bite with us?”

Woo Jin shook his head, already turning back to the piano, “I’m not working tonight so I’d practice some more...You go ahead, I’ll clean and lock up after I’m done.” 

Eun Jae nodded, “Okay. Are you free tomorrow after five?” 

Woo Jin nodded, “I’ll meet you here.”

Eun Jae picked up her stuff “Bye!” she called back to him as she left the door. 

While walking, she typed out her message to Hyorin. She adjusted the strap for the violin case on her shoulder, but realised it was empty. She smacked her forehead “Ya, Cha Eun Jae!” she scolded herself as she dashed back to the music room. 

The door was ajar, and she could hear the piano all the way at the end of the hall. Woo Jin was lost in his own world, eyes downcast and the light casting shadows down his face. He occasionally glanced outside the window, letting his hands play unguided. Eun Jae slowed down and stopped just outside the door to watch him. There was a lonely, almost remorseful look on his face, as he sat there all by himself. He’d always been aloof, sociable enough to make acquaintances but not the type to hang out with his peers. It seemed like he only goes to school to fulfill his studies and then leave to go to his part-time job. A lot of their classmates work for extra money, but he seemed to do it the hardest. 

Tonight, which might be a rare night off, he will spend it alone again in a dark music room, the piano his only companion. 

Eun Jae felt a pang of sadness for his sake. The room suddenly seemed too big and empty, and it threatened to swallow him whole. 

Biting her lip, she took her phone out and sent a message to Hyorin. Then, she stepped inside the room and cleared her throat as she dropped her things back on the chair. Woo Jin stopped playing, surprised. 

“I thought you were leaving?” 

She shrugged, “I changed my mind. They’re already eating anyway, I’ll just make them wait. Plus, I want to practice a bit more too. My finger placements could use a bit more work. It’s always been trouble for me to get it right.” she rambled on.

Woo Jin just blinked at her wordlessly. 

Eun Jae cleared her throat again and looked at her phone, “Shall I order a takeaway?” she asked him without looking up. 

Woo Jin didn’t respond. Eun Jae finally glanced up, “Oi Seo Woo Jin. What do you want to eat?” 

“I’m not hungry...”

“Well, I’m not eating on my own.” Eun Jae muttered, “Bibimbap?” 

Woo Jin shrugged and started to play again. Eun Jae called the company and ordered two servings, as well as some side dishes. 

When the food arrived, Eun Jae had to forcibly remove Woo Jin from the piano bench and down to the floor to eat with her. At first, he hesitated to touch anything, so she pushed several containers his way and began to eat. They sat together in silence, focusing hard on eating their own portions.

“Consider this as payment,” she blurted out, when she couldn’t stand the quiet anymore.

“For what?” 

“For that coffee you bought me during our first year,” she said, “I don’t know if you remember that...by the vending machine after orientation?”

Woo Jin nodded, “I’m surprised you still remember.”

“Of course I do.” Eun Jae said 

“Well...you waited quite a while to pay me back.” he said, his tone teasing. 

“Maybe I wasn’t planning to,” Eun Jae admitted with a grin, “but also consider this as a thank you for being my partner.” 

Woo Jin sipped his drink before saying, “The cash prize is quite huge.” 

Eun Jae nodded, “It would also look good in our portfolio. You know, extra-curricular. Being well-rounded.”

“Is that why you wanted to join?” he inquired

Eun Jae looked thoughtfully around the room for a long time, then she shook her head. “No, actually, I just really wanted to play.” 

They continued to eat the rest of their meal in a comfortable silence. 

* * *

Two days before their performance, Eun Jae stopped by Woo Jin’s seat, “I have to skip rehearsal tonight,” she said apologetically, “I need to go home for our family dinner.” 

“Ah, was that tonight?”

Eun Jae nodded absent-mindedly, “Yeah, I don't know what time I'll be back. It usually takes a few hours before my brother runs out of stories to tell.”

“I see." he replied, "See you tomorrow, then."

She waved goodbye to him and headed out of the room. When she got back to her dorm, she quickly showered and got ready. She barely had time to put on any makeup when their family car arrived downstairs. 

Eun Jae caught her reflection on the car's rearview mirror, lifting the corners of her mouth to show a bright smile. She smoothed the front of her velvet dress and checked her pocket for the gala tickets. When they arrived at her house, she took a deep breath, relaxed her shoulders, and stepped inside.

When she entered the dining room, her parents, older sister, and her older brothers were already seated. Eun Jae gave her parents a kiss before she took the chair on her mother’s right. Her eldest brother, Eun Ho, was telling a story about his latest patient for liver surgery.

“It was a very delicate operation,” Eun Ho was saying, “But I wasn’t nervous. I think my hands have never been steadier than that moment.”

“How long did it take?” Her sister, Shin Hye, wanted to know

“A little bit less than an hour.”

“My, my,” their mother said admiringly, “that is quite a feat, darling. Your first ever solo surgery and such a complicated procedure too. You have done well.” 

“Congratulations,” their father boomed, “You should be very proud.”

“Could you pass me the butter?” Eun Jae whispered to Shin Hye

“How’s your hospital doing, Shin Hye? Have you settled in yet?” their father asked

Shin Hye nodded, “Sweden is very different from Korea, father. They have technology there that hasn’t arrived here yet. It’s all very advanced. The head doctor will give me a tour of their cancer research institute and then I will be a part of their new programme.”

“Don't forget to ring us when you get there," their mother said, "and make sure you only eat healthy food, I know they like their instant meals in Europe."

“Don't worry mom, I'd keep an eye on my diet." Shin Hye assured her

“Eun Jae,” their mother said suddenly, looking at her plate, “do you really want to eat that toast? It’s very late. Are you not worried about gaining weight?”

Eun Jae looked down at the toast she had been buttering. She puts it down and smiled guiltily, “I guess I'd skip it. I’d rather have soup anyway.”

“Just a little bit I think.” their mother said, while their father asked, “How is school going, Eun Jae?”

She spooned some soup as she collected her thoughts. “Very well. I’m almost certain to rank first among our year by the end of this semester. The finals are coming up after Medicine week.” 

“Oh I remember that,” Shin Hye said, “anything interesting going on?” 

“Well actually,” Eun Jae said hesitantly, “There is a music competition on Sunday night, for singing or playing a musical instrument. It’s during the main gala and a fund-raising event for the institute.” 

Her father sniffed, “As if they don’t get enough money from their generous stakeholders.” 

“I think it’s just to attract more people to attend,” Eun Ho said airily, “they want the alumni to return and sponsor new projects. That’s all it is, a money-making scam.” 

Eun Jae shifted uncomfortably in her seat, "I heard a sponsor donated a huge amount for the prize."

"They could have used it for something more worthwhile." Shin Hye said dryly, while Eun Ho raised his wine glass in agreement.

their mother laughed softly "There is no harm in having the alumni come back to their alma mater and donate some money. It won't do good for the university's reputation to suffer."

"You have a point mother," Eun Ho said, "but I still feel the Medicine Week is a waste of time and resources that could be used for something else, like sending students abroad for exchange programs or training."

“That's a good idea, we ought to remind the school board about it next meeting and reduce the non-essential events such as this competition, as if they are a music school.” their father declared, “this close to the end of the school year, the students shouldn’t be getting distracted by this nonsense and just focusing on their studies.”

Eun Jae drained her glass and nodded along, even when her heart was slowly sinking, "I'd love to go to overseas conference or training."

“When will your internship begin?” Shin Hye asked her

“Year 5, I think.”

“Are you excited?” 

Eun Jae nodded, “It would be a nice change from the classroom.”

Eun Ho smirked, “You innocent thing. Being an intern means you’re a slave to your seniors, so make sure you butter up with the right people.” 

“Who are your friends again in med school, Eun Jae?” her mother asked 

“Um well...” Eun Jae said, telling them about Seulgi and Hyorin.

“Their names don’t ring a bell,” her mother said thoughtfully, “Were there any doctors in their families?”

“I don’t think so...”

“It’s good to make friends, but you should also think of making connections to those who are in a position to help you." her father told her, "You have to think of your future. Your older siblings all had strong ties to respectable families in the medical field, and that helped open up more opportunities for them.” 

Eun Jae nodded along, “I know quite a few people in school. I’d make more of an effort to get close to them.” 

Eun Ho leaned forward and smiled at her, “if you’re struggling, you know you can always call me right? I know your sunbaes at school, I can help you out.”

Eun Jae looked at him warily, but her mother cut in “Oh don’t be silly, she can handle herself. Eun Jae is very capable, you know?” 

Her father nodded in agreement. “Keep working hard Eun Jae, we expect you to live up to our family name.” he said, “By the way Eun Ho, your mother said you’ve been made the chief resident?” 

The conversation floated away from Eun Jae. She gripped her spoon tightly and forced herself to take another bite, the tickets in her pocket itchy and uncomfortable. 

* * *

It was a rare quiet night in the cafe. Woo Jin rested his chin on one hand, staring at the steady downpour outside. There had been no customers for the last hour, and he was bored. 

He took out his phone and plugged his earphones on, swiping until he found the recording of their practice. Eun Jae thought it would be a good idea to record it so they can give themselves feedback. 

Woo Jin pressed play and leaned back on his chair. He closed his eyes and drummed his fingers on the counter, following along. He knew the notes by heart now, and it gave him a great sense of satisfaction to hear himself hit each note in perfect timing. 

When the violin entered, Woo Jin imagined her standing in the middle of the room, hair swaying behind her. Her fingers deftly moving across the violin’s neck, a small smile tugging her lips. Her eyes caught his and, instead of looking away like she usually does, she held his gaze. Their harmonies crashing and tumbling with each other before rapidly intertwining to form a whole, complete, sublime experience. 

He could hear the delight in every rise and the longing in every dip of the song. He could tell that this is something important to her, and no matter how many times she brushes it off, the violin speaks all the emotions she tries to hide. 

Woo Jin realised he was staring at nothing for five minutes. He scratched his head and opened his textbook to distract himself.

* * *

“Any thoughts about what you’d like to specialise in?” Shin Hye asked her, “Oncology is a wide field with lots of options, including clinical trials and research. It's worth looking at.”

“Research takes too long,” Eun Ho argued, “and there is so little compensation. You have to leave those to the academicians. Why not internal medicine? We have some of the highest paid consultants in the country.”

"I...I guess." Eun Jae said weakly

Her mother shook her head, “We already have an oncologist," she said, pointing at Shin Hye, "and we have two internal medicine surgeons. Eun Jae absolutely has to become a cardiac surgeon. It's perfect for her.”

Eun Jae turned to their father and said, “Cardiology? It’s a competitive field.” she said nervously

"Why not? There is no reason not to go for it,” he assured her, “you have all the tools you need to succeed. All you have to do is use them.” 

Her mother beamed at her, "It's always been my dream to have a child who is a cardiac surgeon, but Shin Hye chose oncology and Eun Ho wanted to be like your dad, so it has to be you."

Eun Jae nodded and tried to smile, "I...I see," she finally replied, "I will do my best."

"Are you okay? You look a bit pale." Shin Hye observed.

"I think I'm not feeling well, actually." Eun Jae admitted

"I told you not to eat too much butter," their mother scolded her, "Why don't you go have a lie down? I'll send some tea later." 

“Thank you Mom, I will.”

She rose and left the table. She walked rigidly back to her bedroom, closing the door behind with a loud, relieved sigh, letting go of all the tension she was carrying. She kicked off her shoes and slowly walked towards her bed, crawling under the covers and burying herself deep in the pillows.

_Not good enough, Cha Eun Jae. It’s never good enough._

Eun Jae took her phone out, swiping until she finds the recording of their practice. She pressed play and closed her eyes, letting the music fill the little soft cocoon she made for herself. Once the song ended, she played it again. Then again. Until her breathing went back to normal and her head felt a bit clearer. She went through her contacts list and pressed the call button. 

“Hello?” 

“I think we should practice the finale tomorrow, we’re not in sync,” Eun Jae intoned, “My tempo is too fast at my solo, and I keep missing the beat.”

“Mm. If you say so. I thought it was okay.” was his only reply

“Sorry, are you busy?” she asked tentatively

“No, I just got home.” Woo Jin answered, “How did dinner go?” 

Eun Jae sighed heavily, debating whether to tell him, “it’s finished.” she finally said, “I’m just waiting for the rain to stop then I’ll go home too. Its been raining heavily all evening, its relaxing.” 

“We closed early in the cafe since there were no customers.” Woo Jin said. Eun Jae heard the pop of of a bottle lid as he opened a drink.

“Are you drinking?” she asked suspiciously

“Yeah, why?”

“On a school night? Really? Will you be ok tomorrow?”

“I can handle myself,” he said nonchalantly, “plus it’s only Coke.”

Eun Jae scoffed a bit, “I thought you have soju. I could use some right now.”

Woo Jin only grunted in reply. They fell into silence as Eun Jae listened to the faint sound of rain on the ceiling. Surrounded by the warm air and the darkness, she felt like she is in an entirely different place. 

“Eun Jae,” he said softly, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” she said automatically

“You don’t need to pretend,” he said mildly, “I can tell something’s wrong.”

“I didn’t know you’re a mind reader.” Eun Jae said distractedly

“You called me late at night with a gloomy voice about practice and wanting to drink.” he pointed out

“So?” 

“So,” Woo Jin echoed, “I can tell something is bothering you.”

“I...don’t want to talk about it.” Eun Jae finally mumbled, “please.”

The other end of the line went quiet. She could hear Woo Jin fidgeting with something from his end, but he didn’t speak. Eun Jae heard music begun to play in the background, and she pressed the speaker closer to hear it better.

“What is it?”

“Chopin’s Raindrop,” Woo Jin answered, “it’s my favourite piece.” 

“Can you turn it up a bit?” 

“Sure.”

The music filled the speaker, and soon Eun Jae lost herself once again in the music, coupled with the faint sound of Woo Jin’s breathing. She tried to let everything go, even for just a little while. In here, no one expects anything from her, and she was free to stay still and forget about what awaits her outside. Eun Jae gripped her covers tightly, making herself as small as possible. 

* * *

Woo Jin remained silent on the other end. He can hear the soft sound of her crying, but he didn’t say anything. He knew something must have upset her tonight, but he realised that giving her space was probably the best gift he can give her at that moment. He didn’t press further when she kept referring to her dorm as her home, when she is in her family’s house. He realised that there were a lot of things he doesn’t know about her, and that the mask she wore in school effectively hides her true emotions. He wondered what else she was hiding from plain sight. 

Woo Jin stared at the forgotten soju bottle resting on the table, all interest in drinking now gone. He wished there was something else he can do to help, but all he had to offer was music and silence. He prayed it was enough. 

When the song ended the second time, Woo Jin let it taper off. He listened for a sound on the end of the line, wondering if she fell asleep. 

“Chopin’s Nocturne No.9.” she suddenly said hoarsely, “that’s my favourite piece.”

Woo Jin typed the name on his computer, “Is that why you insisted on playing it?” 

“Yes.”

He stopped, “I see.” he finally said, pressing the enter key, and Chopin’s Nocturnes started to play. 

He played three other different songs she requested, until they both admitted it was getting late and she needed to head back. Woo Jin said good night and ended the call, looking at the phone thoughtfully. Lying down on his bed, he played their recording again until he drifted off into a restless sleep. 

* * *

On the night of the gala, Eun Jae let Seulgi and Hyorin fuss over her. Hyorin arranged her hair into a french twist and applied light makeup on her face. Eun Jae admired the dark red dress she chose for that night, with a full princess bodice and a flowy skirt, and tried to smile confidently.

“You look like you’re going to be sick.” Woo Jin commented.

“Shut up.” she said with a roll of her eyes.

Woo Jin just smirked, his hands deep in his trouser pockets. He was wearing a midnight black suit with a dark red inner shirt that matched her dress, his messy hair combed and styled to hide his forehead. He looked completely at ease and it irritated her. 

“Now, be nice you two,” Hyorin scolded them gently, eyeing Woo Jin pointedly before smiling at Eun Jae, “You will be amazing up there.”

“Remember,” Seulgi chimed in, “we’ll be sitting at the second row, left curtain side, and we’ll meet you at the back as soon as its over.”

Eun Jae nodded and hugged her friends tightly, “Thank you.” 

“Ladies, we have to go.” Jinho called out, “Eun Jae, you cleaned up nicely.” he said appreciatively

Eun Jae blushed, “Thank you Jinho.” 

Woo Jin cleared his throat, and Jinho turned to pat him on the shoulder, “Goodluck to both of you! You can do it!”

Eun Jae took a deep breath and followed Woo Jin backstage to wait for their turn onstage. There were five other pairs waiting, looking just as nervous as her. 

Eun Jae gripped her violin tightly and focused on taking deep breaths.

“Nervous?” Woo Jin asked from beside her

“Yup,” she said honestly, “you?”

Woo Jin nodded, “It will be fine. We can play it with our eyes closed if we have to.”

Eun Jae blew out gently, “It’s a mix of nerves and excitement for me. I’ll be fine once the music starts.”

she glanced at him, “Are your parents coming to watch you?” 

Woo Jin shook his head, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt, “No, just me. You?” 

“Same.”

It was his turn to look at her. She could tell he wanted to ask her why, but he looked ahead instead. 

“It doesn’t matter,” he finally said, “We’ll be there for each other.”

Eun Jae blinked at him, his words enveloping her. She struggled to say something back but someone called their names at that moment. 

“It’s time.” Woo Jin said, standing up. 

* * *

Woo Jin sat on the piano bench, the audience to his right while Eun Jae stood on the other side of the piano. There was an expectant hush in the auditorium. He saw Eun Jae’s friends gripping each other tightly, eagerly waiting.

He watched Eun Jae pause with her violin on her shoulder, bow raised. Her eyes searched Woo Jin’s, and he gave her a reassuring nod.

_I'm here with you._

She began to play, and Woo Jin joined in. The sound of their instruments filling up the empty space with life. Woo Jin felt like his fingers had a mind of their own, as they play to the tune of her violin. There was no hesitation, no fear in her music. The stage seemed to lit up in warm tones that reminded him of a sunny, spring day. He's never felt more at ease than he does now, despite the number of eyes that watch his every move. Onstage, it's just him, and her, and their music.

_Just keep playing._

He stole a glance at her. She had her eyes closed, her red dress shimmering as she moved slightly with her bow. Her lips were opened slightly apart as she concentrates. He was struck by how at ease she looks now, in comparison to her fretful energy backstage. There was no trace of the sadness from two nights ago.

_Just be happy like this._

He wished the song went on for longer. He wished they could play it again. He longed to go back to the beginning, to their first practice session in the music room. He remembered listening to music late at night while on the phone, the sound of rain in the background. He wished they could stop time and stay like this,even for just a moment longer.

_Why do you make my heart beat so fast?_

The climax has begun. Eun Jae opened her eyes and caught his own, and they shone brighter than ever. Woo Jin sat, entranced, and he smiled widely at her. She beamed right back at him, and the room suddenly felt warm. The sweetness of her smile carried on towards the final violin solo of their song.

Woo Jin lightly played in time with the violin’s last note. There was a long pause before the room erupted into a thunderous applause. Her friends were all in their feet, shouting as they ran and enveloped her into a hug. Eun Jae laughed and cried and danced along with them, and Woo Jin just sat on the bench, watching her with a sudden clarity.

_I think I might be in trouble._

* * *

Eun Jae stared at the trophy in her hands. “Second place,” she said in amazement, “we got second place?!?”

Seulgi jumped up and down excitedly, “You two. It was out of this world!” 

Hyorin wiped her tears away, “It was so emotional, I was crying the whole time.”

“She really was.” Kibum confirmed. 

“Thank you for cheering for us.” Eun Jae said, smiling at her friends. She elbowed Woo Jin casually. 

“Yeah, thanks.” he echoed

“Dude, you don’t sound happy about winning.” Jinho said, grinning

Woo Jin shrugged, “We should have been first place,” he said, “but Eun Jae messed up her solo.” 

“Excuse me,” Eun Jae said cried, heatedly, “I was flawless. You stumbled through the first chorus. Amateur mistake.” 

Woo Jin rolled his eyes, “We both know my playing saved the performance.”

“Hey! Enough!” Seulgi shouted over their bickering, putting her hands on their shoulders firmly, “You were both perfect, okay? It moved our hearts, it moved everyone’s hearts. Now let’s go grab something to eat.”

“What are you going to do with the prize?” Hyorin wanted to know 

Eun Jae turned to Woo Jin, who shrugged. 

“Well, we agreed to split the money didn’t we?” he said

Eun Jae nodded, looking at the trophy, “Tell you what. you can keep my share if I can keep the trophy.”

“Are you serious?” he said, aghast

Eun Jae nodded, “Yep, this is more than enough.” 

Woo Jin shook his head and muttered something about rich kids under his breath. Eun Jae chose to ignore it and teased him about using it to take piano lessons. They ended up arguing again all the way to the restaurant. 

* * *

However, they both knew that they were lying.

That they gave their best in that performance,

That what they shared onstage meant more than what they are willing to admit,

and that song has formed a hopeful yet fragile link between them. 

Along with the memory of a rainy night that they will both keep close in their hearts.

A sense of companionship when they felt alone in the world.

A moment when everything felt right and perfect, and they will keep coming back to that moment many times over during the dark, difficult days ahead. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > Butterfly Waltz: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_NF_2ta3Ik  
> > I’ll do my best to post Chapter 5 next week. :) Have a happy weekend!


	5. Anatomy of Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DISCLAIMER:  
> This chapter contains THAT scene from the drama series. I’m not claiming it to be my original work. 
> 
> WARNING:  
> *Graphic description of a human cadaver or a dead body.*

Eun Jae rubbed her eyes tiredly, squinting at the bright glare coming from her window. She didn't realise how late-or early-it was, losing another night's sleep to studying. She thumbed through the notes she finished, nodding to herself in satisfaction. 

_It was worth_ _it_ , she thought, _One more hour then I can sleep the whole day._

She yawned, stretching her arms overhead. She decided to buy some more tea before she starts again. Collecting her keys and wallet, she left her dorm room to find the vending machine.

"Hey, you're awake! Good timing." Seulgi called out to her cheerfully.

"You're early." Eun Jae greeted her friend, "you know it's a Sunday, right?"

Seulgi puts her hands on her hips, "I do, and you know you promised to run with me, right?"

Eun Jae gulped, "Um...uh, really? Did I?" she stammered

Seulgi shook her head and pushed her back towards her room, "You are not getting away again this week, Cha Eun Jae," she scolded, "Go and get dressed. You have five minutes!"

"But-" 

"Five minutes, okay?" Seulgi cut her and firmly closed the door, "Hurry up!"

Eun Jae groaned loudly.

Soon, the two girls made their way to the university's track field. Seulgi seemed happy to run alongside Eun Jae, who was dragging her feet in a snail's pace. "You are so out of shape, Eun Jae," Seulgi remarked, "We've only run a kilometer and you are wheezing like an old lady. Raise your knees."

"You sound just like my mother." Eun Jae grumbled, but she forced herself to keep up.

"So much better." Seulgi said, grinning, "It's a nice day, and I promise you'd feel better afterwards."

"I can't seem to imagine that right now."

"I'll treat you breakfast."

"You better." Eun Jae said, elbowing her friend.

They ran comfortably along the track. It was a cool, autumn morning. Despite the early hour, there were quite a few students doing laps alongside them. Eun Jae noticed a familiar tall figure running ahead, the hood of his black jumper covering his hair. A group of girls followed him a couple of steps behind, whispering and indiscreetly eyeing him as he ran. 

"Is that Woo Jin?" she asked 

Seulgi squinted her eyes, "Hmm, I can't tell from here. Why?"

Eun Jae pointed to the girls behind him, eyebrows raised questioningly. Seulgi nodded, "I'm guessing they're members of his fan club."

"He has a fan club?" Eun Jae repeated, surprised. 

"He's shockingly popular," Seulgi explained, "I mean, he has the brains and the cool attitude."

Eun Jae rolled her eyes, "You mean he's arrogant and bossy, right?"

Seulgi shrugged, "He's athletic too...and I think he looks hot."

Eun Jae glanced at her friend, "Are you serious?"

Seulgi laughed, "I'm not interested, but I can appreciate a good looking man. Don't you think so?"

"Mmm," Eun Jae said thoughtfully, watching his back, "I guess I never really looked at him that way."

"Right. Too busy arguing with each other to notice." Seulgi agreed.

As if he could hear them, Woo Jin turned around and caught them watching him. Eun Jae's eyes widened and she tripped on her shoes, luckily catching herself before she fell. When she looked up, she saw Woo Jin smirking at her before disappearing off the field. 

"Did he just laugh at me?" Eun Jae said hotly, her cheeks on fire, "Kyaah, he's really asking for it!"

Seulgi shook her head, "Forget him, let's go! Three more laps and then breakfast."

Eun Jae groaned and followed Seulgi, shaking off the impression of his grin from her mind's eye.

* * *

"Next week, you will be performing your first dissection of a human cadaver." Their anatomy professor announced at the end of their class.

The room burst into a mix of excited and anxious chatter. Woo Jin made a note on his calendar, resting his head on one hand and looking around the room. Seulgi and Hyorin were talking animatedly to Jinho and Kibum, while Eun Jae nodded along and concentrated on scribbling in her book. 

"We will group you into six members per table," the professor continued amidst the chaos he created, "For our first session, we will be looking at the lower extremities. You will study and memorize the thigh and leg muscles, along with their blood and nerve supplies. We will be locating each muscle group in the lab, so be prepared and study well."

"Yes, professor." they all replied

"I will announce your groups now so you can study amongst yourselves."

Woo Jin was barely listening. He needed to go to the bank before his shift tonight, and he only has an hour to do it. He tapped his foot restlessly on the floor, checking his watch every five minutes as the professor called their names. 

"Seo Woo Jin, group E."

Woo Jin glanced at the table his professor pointed to. _Interesting_ , he thought, noticing Eun Jae sitting with the rest of his group. He walked to them and raised his hand in greeting. 

One of their members shook his head in amazement, "Whoah, daebak. Seo Woo Jin and Cha Eun Jae are both in my group?" he said, grinning at the person beside him slyly, "This is going to be a breeze."

"Do you think I'll do all the work for you, Sungjin?" Eun Jae said, raising one eyebrow. 

Sungjin put his hands out, laughing, "Of course not, I didn’t mean it like that”

The other member, Daehwi, rolled his eyes, “Yes you did. However, Cha Eun Jae chooses her allies carefully. You’re far from her level.” 

Sungjin’s face fell, whilst Eun Jae narrowed his eyes at Daehwi, which he ignored, leaning in closer to her, "I know we've always been fighting head to head for the top," he said slowly, “but maybe we’ll benefit more if we help each other out from here on. ” 

Eun Jae smiled at him, “Pardon me but I never really considered you my competition.” she said sweetly.

Daewhi’s eyes darkened, and he glared at her, which she returned just as coldly. The other members of their table shifted nervously. 

Before the situation could de-escalate further, Woo Jin cut in, “I think we should make an outline first, start from the hip muscles and work our way down. Anybody good at drawing?” 

Sungjin nodded, “I can draw.” 

Woo Jin elbowed Eun Jae to get her attention, nodding towards her book pile, “Is that an anatomy atlas you have?” 

Despite the basilisk stares Eun Jae and Daehwi kept giving each other, Woo Jin thought their group worked well enough. They managed to cover most of the new material before the class ended.

“Shall we meet up tomorrow afternoon? One of us can save a room in the library, and we can begin studying tomorrow.” Woo Jin suggested, “Bring your anatomy atlas, it’s much easier to imagine what we’re going to do in the lab with it as reference.” 

“Who made you our leader, Seo Woo Jin?” Daehwi retorted

“Someone had to, since you’re too busy yapping.” Woo Jin said matter of factly, “Right, I’m off. See you all tomorrow.” 

Woo Jin grabbed his books and left, taking his phone out to type a message. He made it outside the classroom when he heard someone calling his name. 

He stopped walking so Eun Jae could catch up, “He just annoys the hell out of me.”

”Then why stoop to his level? Just ignore it.” he pointed out

“I couldn’t just let him talk like he’s better than me.”

Woo Jin sighed, “He was provoking you on purpose to see how far he can push you, and you fell right into his trap.”

Eun Jae gaped at him, “Even so...” she began, flustered, “I won’t sit there doing nothing.”

Woo Jin studied her face, “Was there something else you wanted to tell me?”

”Oh...yeah,” she said distractedly, her anger suddenly evaporating, “I’m not sure...really...do you have a minute?”

He checked his watch, grimacing slightly, “Actually, I have an errand to run.” 

Eun Jae shook her head, “That’s okay then, you go ahead. It’s not important.” 

“You sure?” he pressed her

Eun Jae nodded, “Yeah of course, it’s just school work. I’ll catch you tomorrow.” 

Woo Jin watched her stroll away, wondering what that was about.

* * *

“Eun Jae ya, are you going to eat that?” 

Eun Jae broke out of her reverie, looking down at the bowl of salad in front of her. "Hmm?"

“You’ve been playing with it for at least five minutes,” Hyorin told her, “Is something bothering you?” 

Eun Jae smiled reassuringly at her friend, “I’m fine. I’m just not hungry.” 

Hyorin frowned, “You’ve been skipping meals recently, you need to eat more.”

She sliced the chicken on her plate and placed some over Eun Jae’s salad, “Protein will help your brain recharge.” 

“Thanks Hyorin, but really, don’t worry.” 

Hyorin exchanged glances with Seulgi, who put her own fork down, “Did your mother tell you to go on a diet again?”

Eun Jae laughed, “No she didn’t. Why would you think that?”

”Because she’s done it before and you starved yourself for days after.” Seulgi pointed out worriedly

“Honestly, I’m just not hungry. Maybe I had a big breakfast.” Eun Jae said, forcing herself to eat to pacify her friends. 

“What is it then? You don't seem like yourself today.” Hyorin pressed her.

Eun Jae sighed, “I guess I’m just nervous about anatomy class.” 

"Ah," Hyorin replied with a shiver, “Me too. I’ve never seen a dead body up close before.” 

“I’m more worried about cutting it the wrong way and making a mess of the inside.” Seulgi grumbled.

”Don’t you feel...weird about opening up a person’s body?” Eun Jae wanted to know, biting her lip, “Someone who used to be alive, just like us?”

Seulgi nodded, “In a way, yes, but...how do I explain it? It’s different...I’m more curious about what I will find inside.” 

Hyorin shook her head repeatedly, “Maybe if I just keep the face covered, I can pretend it’s a mannequin. I can’t wait to be done with that class.“ 

Seulgi snorted, “We’re never going to be completely _done_ with it, this just the beginning.”

”What do you mean?” Eun Jae asked anxiously.

”Well, to be a doctor you have to examine bodies all the time,” Seulgi explained as she ate, oblivious to her discomfort, “Some are healthy, most would have some form of illness, and some are dying. I’m sure this won’t be the only dead person we will see in our lifetime...Its our reality, and its inevitable.”

”I guess you’re right,” Hyorin said dejectedly, “It's so cold when you put it that way, Seulgi."

"We have to get over the fear somehow if we want to become a good doctor.” Seulgi replied decisively, "It's not that I'm cold, it's just...realistic, I guess."

Eun Jae put her fork down, losing all interest in eating. Instead, she drank all of her tea in one long gulp. She saw Woo Jin having his lunch a few tables down, his eyes downcast and focused on his phone. He swept his dark hair off his forehead, standing up and taking his tray back to the dishes rack.

"Um, I'm gonna go ahead," Eun Jae said abruptly, grabbing her own bag and tray, "Meet you girls in the library later?"

"Are you finished?" Seulgi asked her, surprised

Eun Jae nodded, "I'll grab something else later. See you in a bit."

She dashed across the room, trying to keep Woo Jin in sight. She's been trying to corner him on several occasions, but he's either been missing or rushing off to go somewhere. Even during their group sessions, she couldn't bring herself to talk to him while studying, and whenever she tried to do it afterwards, he was already gone. Eun Jae wondered where he kept disappearing to, but she didn't want him to think she was invading his privacy. 

"Woo Jin." she called after him

Woo Jin turned around, "Oh. Hey." he greeted her distractedly, "What's up?"

"Um, uh..." Eun Jae hesitated, unsure how to bring up the topic. _I couldn't even tell Seulgi and Hyorin about my fear,_ she thought, _How am I planning to tell him about this?_ It seemed so easy when she was planning it in her head, but now that he was standing in front of her, waiting, she found she was too tongue-tied to begin.

Woo Jin raised his eyebrows questioningly, "What is it?" he repeated, looking at his watch.

Eun Jae lost her nerve, "Just saying hello, you seemed busy these days." she said lamely.

"Not more than usual." he replied, just as his phone began to ring. "I gotta go." 

Eun Jae nodded "S-sure. See you."

She watched him leave with a long sigh. She gathered herself and walked towards the direction of her dorm, feeling more miserable than ever. 

* * *

Woo Jin rushed outside the university gate, scanning the area quickly. He continued walking until he rounded the corner, and stopped on his tracks. Two men in black suits stood casually, blocking the path. They turned at the same time when Woo Jin approached. 

The smaller of the two moved forward until he was inside Woo Jin's personal space. He patted Woo Jin's shoulder in what was supposed to be a friendly manner, yet there was something threatening about his grip at the same time. Woo Jin squared his shoulders, refusing to show any fear.

"Woo Jin, my boy," the man said lazily, "Why do you make it difficult for us to meet you?"

"What are you doing here?" Woo Jin asked through gritted teeth, "My school is off limits."

The man shrugged, brushing invisible lint from Woo Jin's shirt, "We were worried you might have forgotten us, so we thought it's time to pay you a visit."

The other man, bigger and taller than Woo Jin, whistled, "You doing well in your studies, doctor?" he drawled.

Woo Jin eyed him silently, before finally replying stiffly, "Not too bad."

"Good, good." the smaller man said, nodding his head appreciatively, "It would be such a _shame_ if this all goes to waste, isn't it? I just hope you don't forget your other responsibilities. I know how busy college can be."

Woo Jin frowned, "I sent the payment three days ago."

The man smiled at him, as if he was talking to a child, "Of course you did, and we are always grateful you pay on time. We just want to remind you that the interest for your payments has changed, just a measly 5% extra."

"What? You can't do that." Woo Jin protested, shaking the man's hand off him, "You have raised the interest last month and you said that was the last time."

The larger man moved closer, cracking his knuckles. Woo Jin's heart began to beat faster in his chest, but he tried to ignore it.

The smaller man chuckled and gripped Woo Jin's shoulder tightly, leaning close to his ear, "Seo Woo Jin, you forget yourself. You don't make the rules here," he hissed, "If we tell you to pay double, you pay us double. If we tell you to drop out of school, you will drop out."

Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. _They can't actually do that, can they?_

"Of course, that's the last thing we want to do." the man continued gently. He released Woo Jin, who tried not to grimace from pain, "You have until the end of the month. If we don't receive it, we'll come and visit you again."

With a nod to his partner, they left and disappeared from sight, leaving Woo Jin behind, squeezing his fists tightly in anger.

* * *

Eun Jae closed her eyes, clutching her forceps and scissors tightly, as she and the rest of her class sent a silent prayer of gratitude. It was the day of their first cadaver session, and in true Eun Jae fashion, she didn't sleep well last night, dreading the day to come. To help herself calm down, she read all the notes they made and studied all the drawings. She knew what the muscles look like, she can even imagine how to precisely form the incision to begin and identify each muscle of the thigh. Her brain had all the information ready, but still she was petrified of what they were about to do.

She looked around the room too see how everyone was doing. Seulgi was nodding along to their professor's words, while Hyorin was biting her lip, eyeing the white sheet with a panicked look. Jinho doesn't look fazed at all, while Kibum actually looks excited, lifting the blanket to take a peek at the body underneath. Hyorin caught him and slapped his hand until he dropped it guiltily.

Eun Jae returned her gaze back to the waist-high table in front of her, a white, opaque sheet covered the body from head to toe. Woo Jin stood on her right, Sungjin on her left. Their professor walked up and down the middle aisle, giving them last-minute instructions. Eun Jae's hands were sweaty inside her surgical gloves, and she forced herself to put them down on her sides. 

"Okay, we will begin with the leg today," their professor announced, "Remove the sheet."

She took a deep breath and braced herself as Sungjin lifted the sheet off their cadaver. She wanted to turn her eyes away, but she was immediately paralysed by the sight before her. 

_They says a dead body looks like it's just sleeping,_ she thought, _But they're wrong._

Nothing but death could make a body look unnatural and alien. The smell of formaldehyde was so strong, instantly choking her, yet despite this there was the undeniable odor of decay. Eun Jae couldn't take her eyes off the abnormally colored skin and the cracked, dried nails of the toes. She coughed into her face mask repeatedly, trying to gain her senses and focus back, but it was close to impossible. 

Woo Jin reached across her to turn their book to the correct page. He read silently, his scalpel poised over the skin below the pelvis, and he pressed it down without hesitation. Eun Jae felt like everything was moving too fast around her, her eyes frozen as Woo Jin's scalpel slide over the skin easily, like a sharp knife on butter. She shuddered as she imagined the blood pooling and spilling out of the wound, spreading all over the table.

Woo Jin held both sides of the cut he made and pulled it apart, exposing the inside of the leg with a loud cracking sound. Eun Jae stepped back in horror, her stomach flipping over as she turned away. She caught sight of the table next to them, two of her classmates eagerly slicing the skin off and putting their hands inside the hole they made. One of the tables had pulled the whole sheet off the body and she caught sight of the cadaver's face. 

_I'm surrounded by_ _death_ , she realized, horrified.

She tried to take deep breaths, but the rotten smell filled her nostrils and her lungs. The world was beginning to spin wildly, her stomach squeezing into a tight knot. There was no escape. 

_I can't breathe,_ she thought, trembling, _I need to get out of here._

She bumped into someone behind her and she quickly turned around, the sudden movement causing her self control to finally give and she lurched forward, throwing up on her classmate's shoulder. 

There were loud gasps of horror. Despite her dizziness, she squinted to focus her eyes, catching Woo Jin's shocked expression as he stared at her in alarm. 

"I'm sorry." she tried to tell him before the world around her grew dark. 

* * *

The room erupted into chaos. 

"Eun Jae? Eun Jae!" Hyorin was shouting, shaking Eun Jae's shoulder forcibly. There was no response. Hyorin repeated it again but with the same result. She looked around the room, "Someone send for help!" she cried.

Woo Jin's shock wore off, and he sprung into action. With their classmates help, he lifted Eun Jae off the ground and onto his back. As soon as she secure, he ran out of the room without a second thought. 

Woo Jin could feel his heart beating furiously in his chest, his brain in overdrive. He barely noticed his feet racing down the stairs, his attention focused on the weight on his back. The nurse's office never seemed so far away as it did today. He adjusted his grip on her and jumped the last few steps down.

_Please be all right,_ he begged repeatedly as he run, _Not you. Please, please be okay._

He suddenly recalled all the times she approached him during the past week, and he felt like something sharp stabbed him on the chest. He should have listened, he should have paid more attention. He thought she looked tired, but he brushed it off as lack of sleep. He had made a mental note to try and talk to her, but he was too distracted by his own problems that he never found the time to do it. He noticed how pale she was before the dissection began, and he should have said something then. He should have tried to comfort her. He should have done something, anything, instead of just watching from afar like he usually does. 

_Damn it,_ he cursed himself, _I'm such an idiot._

He was trying to figure out the shortest route he could take when he suddenly felt her arms squeeze around his neck.

He stopped on his tracks, breathing heavily. He was about to ask her how she's feeling when he felt her hands tightened, her arms trembling on his shoulders. He stood still, the back of his shirt wet with her tears, as he listened to her heart breaking.

He didn't try to stop her nor speak at that moment, instead he began walking again towards the center quad and gave her as much time as she needed to calm down. 

After a few minutes, she said hoarsely, "Can you put me down now?"

They stopped near the water faucets. Woo Jin sat at the edge while Eun Jae washed her face and drank some water. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, her lower lip trembling for a second before she splashed water repeatedly over her mouth, as if it can rinse the memory off her head. 

She turned off the faucet, but her hand remained on the tap as she stared down, frozen.

Woo Jin looked at her, "What's wrong?" he asked, suddenly alarmed that she might still be unwell.

"I," she whispered, "feel like I'm going to die."

Woo Jin studied her worriedly, "Do you still feel dizzy?"

"I could die from the embarrassment." she intoned. With a heavy sigh, she turned around and sat beside him, "What am I going to do now? That scene just keeps replaying in my head, like I'm broken."

She sighed, "I vomited, I blacked out, and I leave the room on your back. It just never ends." she moaned.

"Stop thinking about it and let it go," he advised, his insides untwisting the knots it created when she fainted, "After a few days no one is even going to remember it."

"How can I not think about it?," she said miserably, "that's like the ultimate combination that could happen in Anatomy class."

Woo Jin looked back at her, but she was too busy to notice as she continued, "I used to have a cool image, but that's ruined now." she groaned in frustration, "This is so annoying!"

Woo Jin smiled inwardly, briefly amused by her tantrum. 

"Do you want me to tell you a way?" he asked offhandedly.

"What way?" she asked, her eyes closed.

"The way for you to reset your mind immediately." he replied.

She glanced at him, puzzled. "How can I do that?"

"Like this." he said, suddenly doing a half turn and leaning in towards her, his lips inches from hers. 

He was so close that he could smell the faint sweetness of her perfume. Her golden hair was like a halo around her, and he could see the sunset reflected in the center of her chestnut eyes.

"What are you doing?" she asked uncomfortably.

Woo Jin studied her face a moment longer, trying to remember every detail, "Didn't it work?" he asked as he leaned back.

"No it didn't." she replied

"Is that right?"

"Yes." 

Woo Jin stood up, leaned down, and pressed his lips on hers gently. He closed his eyes briefly, savouring the taste of her lips on his, before he straightened up again to see her reaction.

"Did it work?" he asked again.

Eun Jae stared at him, stunned, "You...Crazy..." she managed to stammer.

He saw the exact moment those sunset eyes darkened and narrowed. Her fist rose up and he braced himself for the slap he knew was coming. Her anger hit him in full-force, causing his head to swivel to the right. He put a hand up to his burning cheek, and realised with a sinking feeling that he made a huge mistake. 

* * *

She stood up, facing him, "Ya, Seo Woo Jin," Eun Jae said furiously, "How dare you?"

Woo Jin looked away from her, "It helped, didn't it?" he said darkly, "You're too angry now to remember what happened earlier."

 _It helped?_ the word echoed in her brain. Her hands curled up into fists once again, and she felt like slapping his other cheek for good measure.

"Don't overthink it too much." he was saying, his eyes moving everywhere, "I just did it to distract you."

Her indignation rose with every passing second. "If you were expecting me to be grateful, don't waste your time waiting," she snapped at him, rising to leave. 

Woo Jin reached for her arm, stopping her, "Where are you going?"

Eun Jae angrily pulled away, "Anywhere but here. I can't bear to look at you right now."

Woo Jin hesitated, "Wait, let me explain--" 

"Explain what? That you took advantage of me?" Eun Jae demanded, "Is that your idea of flirting? Did you think I would feel flattered? Just because you raced down with me on your back, you think you can just do whatever you like? Give me a break."

Woo Jin opened his mouth to say something else but Eun Jae cut him off, "Thank you for carrying me and helping me," she said rigidly, "Now please get out of my way, before I report you to the office."

He looked at her in turmoil, but she hardened her heart and said nothing until he moved away from her path. Eun Jae stormed off without looking back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> > Writing this fanfic made me realise again how different their personalities are, and yet how well they fit together to fill in the blank spaces of each other. 💙
> 
> > This chapter was a bit difficult to write, since I have to think from Eun Jae’s perspective as to where her fear was coming from. 
> 
> > I think I'm halfway through the story now. Please bear with me. :)


	6. When Life Gives You Lemons...

Eun Jae threw away her textbook in frustration. She'd been trying for over an hour to study but to no avail. She was too distracted. It's been a week since the incident, and whenever she picks up her anatomy book she gets a horrifying flashback of the body lying on the white table. She had put aside everything that reminded her of the lab since then, but she can't put it off any longer. Tomorrow was another anatomy class, and already the anticipation was causing her to hyperventilate.

She stood up and began to pace back and forth in her dorm room, biting her nail anxiously. She needed a way to forget the incident. There had to be something she can do to get over her phobia. Everyone else was coping just fine, so why can't she do same?

_Reset._

She paused, touching a finger to her lips. Now that she had time to calm down, she was beginning to feel guilty about hitting him, especially after he carried her out of the laboratory on his back and down several flights of stairs. No matter what happened, he did it with good intentions, right?

 _Don't overthink Eun Jae,_ she reminded herself, _he said himself it meant nothing._

And yet she couldn't forget the unguarded expression on his face just before she walked away. Eun Jae shook her head quickly to dismiss the thought. No, she had enough to deal with, she won't add _him_ into the pile. 

She eyed the textbook on the floor. She'd gone too far to give up now. Determinedly, she picked it up and sat down to try again. 

* * *

Woo Jin raced to the top of the hill, sweating profusely in the heat. Loud music blasted in his headphones, blocking away the sounds of the city and his own, turbulent thoughts. His lungs began to protest but still he ran like a man possessed. Like a man trying to escape from the past or the burden of the future. Woo Jin refused to grant himself some relief, climbing up the hill even when his knees were buckling, his feet as heavy as anchors.

With a loud grunt, he sprinted the last five meters to the highest point of the grassy hill. Woo Jin slowed down, holding on to a tree trunk for support as he collapsed on the grass. He shielded his eyes from the sun with one hand, trying to catch his breath back. A golden leaf dropped down from the branch above him, reminding him of a pair of warm sunset eyes. Woo Jin removed his headphones, dropping it carelessly on the grass. He laid there, staring at the bright, cerulean sky. It was so peaceful, unlike the grim reality that occupy his mind without rest.

That's just a typical cycle in his life, he supposed. He couldn't help it: he just had a talent for ruining anything good that comes. He thought the risk would be worth it, that he would be ready to accept the consequences. It seemed so absurd now. 

_It's probably for the best_.

His phone vibrated in his pocket. Lifting it out, he opened it to read the message from his aunt.

_**"I wired you some money. Go and check."**_ it said, _**"It's your cousin's birthday. Come home and get some side dishes. Stop eating ramyun."**_

He closed the message and opened the next one. 

_**"Send the money today."** _

That message awoke him. A reminder that he shouldn't reach too far, that some things are better off without him. He had nothing to be proud of. Nothing to offer aside from the mountain of debt his father accumulated. Nothing to look forward to, aside from the constant fear that someone will break his door down and finally demand to take his life as payment. Why would anyone choose to share this burden?

_Yes, this is the best outcome_. he repeated to himself, closing his eyes.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay?" Seulgi asked, her eyes full of concern.

Eun Jae nodded, "Yes, I'm fine."

Hyorin gave her a side-hug, resting her head on Eun Jae's shoulder, "You scared us so much. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't know how." Eun Jae confessed, her cheeks reddening, "It just seemed silly."

"It's not silly at all," Seulgi protested, "Look, if you're not ready we can talk to the professor..."

Eun Jae quickly shook her head firmly, "No," she said confidently, despite the butterflies inside her stomach, "I can do it. I _want_ to do it."

Seulgi frowned and looked like she wanted to argue further, but their professor arrived at that moment,

"Okay everyone, to your places please and continue where you left off last week." he announced, "Cha Eun Jae, a word?"

Eun Jae nodded, separating herself from her friends, who reluctantly returned to their tables. 

"How are you feeling?" the professor asked once they were in a quiet corner of the room.

"I'm okay." Eun Jae said, smiling as confidently as she could. 

the professor studied her for a long moment, "I know how some students can find the lab experience...terrifying. You are not the first. If at any moment, you need to step out, I want you to feel free to do so. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir, please don't worry."

he nodded, "Right. Well, get back to work then."

Eun Jae bowed and hurried to her table. Woo Jin stood across from her, who kept his eyes averted while deep in discussion with Sungjin, refusing to acknowledge her presence.

_Fine, I don't want to talk_ _anyway._ she thought, suddenly irritated. 

Daehwi, who was standing beside her, nodded in greeting, "Nice to see you recovered, Sleeping Beauty."

Eun Jae stiffened, but she ignored the jibe and concentrated on reading her anatomy book.

"How are you feeling today? I hope you're not traumatised by last week's incident?" Daehwi inquired as he inspected his tools.

"I'm fine, thank you." Eun Jae responded coolly.

"I'm glad to hear it." Daehwi smiled, all innocent, and offered a scalpel to her, "Would you like to do the honors today? Since you didn't get a chance last time and I don't want you to miss out."

Eun Jae stared at his outreached hand. _What game is he trying to play?_ , she thought suspiciously.

"Stop messing around, Daehwi." Woo Jin warns him, a frown on his face.

Daehwi rolled his eyes, "Relax. I'm just being fair to Eun Jae. I mean, how is she going to pass this class if she doesn't get the experience, right? I'm just concerned for her sake."

Eun Jae squeezed her hands into fists, _Of course._ It was a test. Daehwi enjoyed pushing her buttons, and he had the perfect ammo to use this time.

"Thank you, I have my own tools." she finally replied. 

Daehwi shrugged his shoulders, "Suit yourself." he said casually

He watched her as she took her dissecting kit out of her coat pocket. She pleaded for her hands to remain steady as she pulled her scalpel and forceps out. She sent a silent prayer of gratitude for her face mask, for it hid the quick puffs of breath she took to calm herself down.

Eun Jae looked down the table, the pale skin of the cadaver staring back at her. She hesitated, her hands beginning to tremble despite her best efforts. 

Daehwi cleared his throat a little, "Something wrong?" he asked, "Do you know how to make the incision?"

"Of course I do." she snapped at him. She inhaled deeply and pressed the scalpel, making a line across from the inner to the outer thigh. She repeated the same line above the knee cap, and finally a long cut down the middle of the leg.

_So far so good._

Eun Jae put her tools aside and held both sides of the incision she made, preparing to pull it open. However, the minute her gloved hands touched the cold skin, the fear hit her, as if someone poured a bucket of ice water over her head. The horror of what she was about to do made her sweat, and her heart began to pump hard against her rib cage. 

_It's cold, why is it so cold._ she thought numbly as she let go and took a couple of steps back, rubbing her hands on her coat repeatedly. 

Daehwi watched her with interest, "Are you going to finish this, Eun Jae?"

Eun Jae shook her head as she tried to take a deep breath. "I...I can't."

Daehwi exhaled, as if he was disappointed, yet she saw the look of triumph on his face and her heart plummeted to the floor. He took the place she vacated by the table and finished the work she began. Eun Jae looked away, feeling nauseous. Her eyes brimmed with tears as the world began to spin faster and faster. 

_Please no, not again._ she thought, panic-striken. _I have to get out now._

Woo Jin had stopped working and was staring at her from across the table, his eyes full of concern and an emotion that she couldn't identify. 

"Eun Jae-" he started to say

But Eun Jae didn't wait to hear the rest. She turned around and walked determinedly to their professor, who nodded in understanding. She left the room with her head held high, ignoring her friends' calling after her, forcing herself to take even steps all the way to the bathroom. 

She locked herself in the last stall, her knees failed to support her and she crumpled to the floor. She took her phone out and quickly located her mother's name. Her thumb froze just on top of the call button for the longest time before she put the phone down again. 

_What am I going to tell her? That her daughter is a failure?_

She hugged her knees to her chest, burying her face in her arms and letting her tears fall in a steady stream down her cheeks. 

She had no idea how long she stayed inside the stall, but after a while she heard someone softly knocking on the other side.

"Eun Jae?" Seulgi called softly, "Would you open the door?"

Eun Jae sniffed as she slowly disentangled herself. She pushed the door open to find Seulgi and Hyorin both standing on the other side. They remained silent, kneeling down on the floor beside her and enveloping her into a three-person hug. Eun Jae cried and cried until her eyes had no more tears to give, her heart breaking into pieces.

* * *

"Did you see her face?" Sungjin whispered across the table, "She was absolutely petrified. I felt so bad for her."

"I know." one of their other group members said in a hushed tone, "Midterms is coming soon, how is she going to practice for the exam?"

"She's always done well, it would be shocking to see her fail."

"She's over." Daehwi said, packing away his tools.

"What do you mean?" Sunjin asked, eyes wide.

"Think about it. She can't even get through a simple lab incision without running away. What if its a live operation? What is she going to do then? No, she's finished."

"I guess you are right," Sungjin said sadly, "I'm glad I don't suffer from it, imagine trying to drag yourself to class every week."

"Girls like her let their emotions rule their common sense, that's why." Daehwi declared, "Good for her to get out of the way now, it gives me a better chance to take the top rank."

Woo Jin slammed his book down on the table, "Ya, when would you two stop your nonsense?" he demanded.

"Geez, what's your problem?" 

"My problem is that we should be done cleaning up here by now, " Woo Jin said darkly, "but all you do is talk rubbish behind people's backs. If you have something to say, tell it to her face at least."

Daehwi folded his arms on his chest, "Why are you taking this personally?" he asked suspiciously, "Who is she to you? Do you like her?"

"It's called decency, try having some." Woo Jin countered.

Daehwi smirked at him, "So what if I wanted to take her spot? What's wrong with being ambitious? Don't pretend you're not thinking of it too. Her loss will always be to your advantage, so congratulations and stop pretending to be better than me."

Woo Jin laughed mirthlessly, "Funny how you like to pretend to know what I'm thinking," he said thoughtfully, " We're not on the same level, but sure, keep dreaming."

"You asshole." 

Daehwi tried to step closer towards Woo Jin, but Sungjin quickly came between them. "Guys, let's not fight." he said nervously.

Woo Jin grabbed his things and left the room without another word. 

* * *

_Reasons to quit med school:_

_\- It's so toxic!!!_

_\- I don't like wearing the smell from Anatomy lab everywhere I go._

_\- Dissection is so scary, I can't breathe._

_\- I can finally sleep for a longer time._

_Reasons to stay in med school:_

_\- It will make my mom happy._

Eun Jae sighed, doodling at the edge of her paper, trying to think of more reasons to write. It feels a bit silly to do it, but she had to admit its mentally relaxing to see her thoughts on paper. She covered her mouth with one hand as she yawned, rubbing her eyes tiredly.

She decided to push the incident into one side and focused on her other lessons. They will begin learning more practical skills in the lab, such as drawing blood with needles and what to examine during a routine medical check up. Eun Jae was reading about how to find the right vein to extract blood, vowing to prove to herself that she's not completely hopeless.

Her phone vibrated on the table. Eun Jae answered it, "Mom? Hi, how are you?" she said, "Wait, let me step out of the library first."

"I'm fine. Shin Hye has gone back to Sweden now," her mother answered, "She told me to send you her regards, and that she hopes we visit her in the summer."

"That would be nice." Eun Jae remarked, sitting down on the steps leading to the library, "I'd love to see the hospital she works in."

"Yes, I'm assuming it's different from our local hospitals. You might want to work there too." her mother said, chuckling, "how is your studies going? It's almost midterms, isn't it? have you been studying well?"

"Of course I am." Eun Jae replied, "I'm preparing now, actually."

"Good, good." her mother said, "and have you been eating well? I hope you stopped having instant noodles for dinner. Last time you came home your cheeks were very puffy."

Eun Jae rolled her eyes, "Yes mom, I only have carrots and celery sticks."

"And a bit of protein, I think, to give you a bit of colour. You are too pale, my dear."

"Okay, mom," Eun Jae replied, breathing deeply, "whatever you say."

* * *

Throughout the week, Woo Jin tried to keep an eye out for Eun Jae. Her friends formed a tight, protective circle around her, either to make sure she was eating or to discourage others from gossiping and starting rumors. 

Today, on a rare occasion, Woo Jin saw her alone in the library. Her book lay open in front of her, but her mind seemed to have drifted far away out of the window, where she'd been staring for the last ten minutes. 

He sat a couple of tables away, trying to be subtle about watching her but failing completely. Luckily, she was too distracted to even notice him. He drummed his pen against his book, thinking. 

Eun Jae began to scribble on a piece of paper, head bent down. Every few minutes, she would look out of the window again before continuing to write. He watched curiously as her facial expression changed from blank to hesitant and finally to dejected. She rubbed her eyes and her temples several times, as if trying to hold her headache at bay. 

When she stood up to answer a phone call, Woo Jin got up and walked towards her spot. He placed a cup down and was about to go back to his seat when he noticed the paper she was scribbling on, lying innocently on the table. He hesitated, but his curiosity won and he leaned in to read the list.

He chuckled to himself at her list, which gradually faded as he stared at her lone reason for staying. He wondered about how that felt, living your life for someone else, and he realised it wasn't too different from his own. 

He went back to his own table and began to read. Seulgi and Hyorin arrived and took the seats across from Eun Jae, blocking his view.

"Ya Eun Jae," Hyorin greeted, "you have a long face again."

Eun Jae sighed, "I just spoke to my mum, and she said my face is puffy."

Seulgi chortled, "YOUR face is puffy? Mine must be blown up like a balloon."

Eun Jae squeezed her cheeks, frowning, "She said I should eat less noodles."

"You had one serving, I think you're just fine." Seulgi remarked, "did you tell her about...?"

Eun Jae quickly shook her head, "No, I couldn't...she won't understand."

"Why not? She is your mother." Hyorin said gently, "I'm sure she will listen if you explain to her."

"I really doubt it, she'll probably say I should stop eating gluten to stop it from happening."

"Maybe you should." Seulgi said seriously, earning her a gentle whack on the head. 

Eun Jae grinned, "Right, I'm just going to pop to the office before we go for dinner."

She stood up and gathered her things, "Thanks for this coffee by the way." she added as she left.

Seulgi frowned, "Coffee?" she looked at Hyorin, "did you buy her a drink?"

Hyorin shook her head, "I thought she was talking to you."

"Weird. I wonder what that was about." Seulgi said absently, scratching her head.


	7. Blood Drive

"If there are no questions, it’s your turn to practice.” their professor announced during their afternoon lesson, "Pick a partner, then demonstrate how to find a vein and draw blood using a medical syringe."

Eun Jae looked around to find a partner. Seulgi and Hyorin had paired themselves up, and so did Kibum and Jinho. She frowned, trying to see who else was available, but the rest of her class seemed to be purposely avoiding eye contact with her. She ignored the uncomfortable feeling and scanned the room for someone sitting alone. Her eyes landed on Woo Jin's the same time he found hers, and she hesitated. They still haven't spoken since the incident, and a lesson where they poke each other with needles doesn't seem to be the best time to do it. 

He cleared his throat, "Want to pair up?"

"Um..." she replied, hiding her surprise, "If you don’t mind?"

Woo Jin shook his head, "I don't." he said as he moved to the chair across from her. He flipped open his book to the correct page, reading the instructions to himself. Eun Jae pretended to examine the tools they were going to use, while sneaking a glance at his face, trying to judge what he was thinking about. He hadn't exactly been avoiding her, he just doesn't seem to pay her any attention. It's almost as if they were back to being strangers, and she found that it troubled her a lot. 

_Why am I bothered when I didn't do anything wrong?_ she wondered.

"Looks pretty straightforward," Woo Jin said, finally looking up at her, "do you want to go first or should I?"

Eun Jae skimmed over the instructions, "You have a go." she decided. He puts on his surgical gloves silently as Eun Jae placed her arm on the table. She looked at the book to double check what they were looking for, "So you need to locate my antecubital vein first, just above the elbow crease." she told him, and Woo Jin nodded. Gently, he cradled her arm with one hand, sending goosebumps all over her body, as his other hand traces faint lines over her elbow crease, tapping the skin lightly to check for tautness.

"Should be quite easy since my veins are prominent, you know." Eun Jae continued, too aware of his warm hands for her liking, "A lot of nurses told me I'm an easy patient to draw blood from. Of course that was a long time ago, back when I was seven when I was hospitalized for pneumonia. It wasn't too severe, thank goodness, but they had to inject an IV, and they said it was lucky that my veins were easy to spot."

She knew she was rambling, but she couldn't stop. If she did, the silence would become too heavy with the questions hanging over their heads. Woo Jin didn't say anything, he just tapped her forearm one more time before letting it go to choose a needle. 

"Did you find it?" she asked.

"Yeah, I guess your nurses were right."

Eun Jae flushed, and she sat straighter on her stool. Woo Jin turned back to her with a tourniquet, which he tied around her upper arm. He cradled her arm again with one hand while the other flicks the vein until it's bulging. Next, he took a needle syringe from their pile, pausing to gauge her reaction, "Ready?"

Eun Jae took a deep breath and nodded. She never had a problem with needles, anyway, preferring to watch as Woo Jin drew her blood. He worked with surprising ease, as she watched him pull the syringe out and press a cotton ball over the injection site. 

"Whoah, it's like you've been doing this for years."

"It's not difficult.”

"Show off." she teased him lightly.

Woo Jin smiled a little, and her heart did a cartwheel in her chest. “I thought it’s better to just do it as quickly as possible so you don’t have time to think about it.” 

“I didn’t even notice the needle go in, and it was over before I could properly digest what we’re doing.” she agreed, amazed.

Woo Jin broke eye contact as he removed his gloves , “Your turn." he urged as he took off his hoodie so she could see his arm more easily. 

Eun Jae pressed her lips together, her heart hammering. _Would this be just like anatomy class?_ she thought fearfully. What if she couldn't find the right vein? or worse, what if she inserts it on the wrong place and he bleeds out? It was one thing to study on a cadaver, but to practice on a living, breathing person...can she afford to make another mistake?

_I can't._

"Hey." Woo Jin said, interrupting her thoughts, “Could you, uh, give me a warning before you stick the needle in?” 

Eun Jae frowned, “You mean...like a countdown or something?”

Woo Jin nodded, “Yeah, a countdown works. Just so I know.” 

Eun Jae narrowed her eyes a little, “Are you afraid of needles?” she asked in disbelief.

Woo Jin quickly shook his head, “Of course not! It’s just...” he paused, hesitating, “Unlike you, I don’t have much experience going to the hospital...maybe just twice all my life.” 

“Hmm...” Eun Jae said as she examined his forearm, “you’re lucky then.” 

Woo Jin grimaced, “I don’t know about that.” he mumbled.

Eun Jae gripped the syringe tightly, running through the instructions in her head. She visualized what Woo Jin did on her arm a few minutes ago. 

_Do I look for the vein before or after the tourniquet?_ she thought, pressing her lips together. 

As if he could hear the doubt in her head, he suddenly demanded, “Ya, do you know what you’re doing?” 

“Of course.” she snipped, pulling his arm towards her so she could tie the tourniquet, a bit too tightly than probably recommended.

Woo Jin winced, which she promptly ignored. Pointing the needle against his arm, she took a deep steadying breath “One. Two—”

“Everyone,” the professor suddenly announced, “We’ll stop here.” 

Eun Jae groaned, debating if she should stick the needle in quickly, but Woo Jin sighed with relief and pulled his arm away from her, so she had no choice but to let go, disappointed that she lost the chance just when she felt like she could do it. 

Woo Jin noticed her pout and smiled a little, “A bit too excited to stab me?” 

“Yes, actually.” she shot back, “you owe me quite a lot.” 

He rested his head chin on his hand as he studied her, “We could do it after class, if you’re free?” 

Eun Jae checked her watch, going over her appointments for the day, “I guess I have half an hour to spare.” she agreed.

Woo Jin nodded, “Okay.” 

They waited for the room to empty out, Eun Jae looking at everything and everyone but him, telling herself to remain calm. She’d been alone with him before, so it’s not a big deal. Plus, they’re just studying, she told herself, and she needed to practice. 

Once everyone had left, she turned to face her partner again, syringe in one hand. Woo Jin placed his arm back on the table. “Remember, do a count first.” 

She rolled her eyes dramatically, “Could you try and relax? You’re making me nervous.” 

“I’m just trying to be helpful.” 

“Just be quiet so I can concentrate.” 

“Hurry up then.” Woo Jin grumbled. 

Eun Jae took another deep breath to clear her mind. The room was eerily quiet without their bickering, making her more conscious of the loud thudding sound inside her rib cage. She felt like her hands were beginning to sweat, and she gripped the syringe tightly. 

“See, that's the vein you want right?" Woo Jin’s voice cut through the silence. 

Eun Jae looked down, nodding. She leaned closer to study his arm, locating the right vein. 

"Woo Jin..." she began slowly, "why did you ask me to be your partner?"

"Because you didn't have one." came his immediate reply.

"There were other people available." she pointed out.

"I know." he said, "Why did you say yes?"

Eun Jae paused, looking up at him. She suddenly became aware of how close they were. His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep and surrounded by dark circles. She thought he smelled like cedar wood, and her cheeks went red with embarrassment. "I...because no one else asked me?" she offered, looking back down and pressing on his arm a bit more forcefully to distract herself.

"Mmm." 

"Are you not afraid I might make a mistake?" she blurted out.

Woo Jin shrugged, "That's what we're here for. To make mistakes." he told her, and suddenly she wasn't sure if he was still talking about their lesson. 

"You know...we never really talked...about that incident." she said casually.

"What's there to talk about?"

Eun Jae raised her eyebrows, "What do you mean? We can't just pretend it didn't happen."

Woo Jin looked away, "We can, if that's what you want."

"It's not." she said, then quickly tried to backtrack, "I mean, we should talk about it so that we're on the same page. So it's not awkward."

"I told you, just forget about it."

"Well, I can't." Eun Jae retorted, "it's not that easy. Look, I wanted to say sorry for how I reacted, I didn't mean to hit you...Well, maybe I did at the time, but I shouldn't have done it." 

“How are you doing now?” 

“I’m...hanging in there.” she answered truthfully, “At first, I thought my nausea must be because I was anemic or I wasn’t eating well. But I felt it again the next time I was in the lab, so I need to figure out what’s causing it if I ever want to be a doctor.” 

“Why are you staking your future on the fear of cutting bodies open?” he asked, “A doctor has many skills, this is just one of them.”

“But it’s one of the foundations, isn’t it?” she argued, “How can I treat people when I can’t even do this right?” 

“Why? Are you planning to become a surgeon?”

She nodded, “My mother wants me to be a cardiac surgeon.” 

“And you?” Woo Jin pressed, “do you want to be a surgeon?”

“I don’t know? I guess so...it seems like a challenging field and there is plenty of room to grow.” she sighed, “To be honest I just want to survive Anatomy class, then I’ll think about the future.”

Woo Jin was silent for a while, and when he finally spoke he said, "Have you found that vein yet?"

"Oh, right." Eun Jae said hastily, putting the tourniquet around his arm and removing the cap from her needle. She took a deep breath, preparing to insert it on his skin, the needle quivering. She tried not to think about the different scenarios she could fail and what might happen as a consequence afterwards. 

Woo Jin reached out to lightly touch her hand, steadying her grip. The world stopped spinning on its axis, her hand frozen in mid-air. 

"I'm sorry for what I did before. " he said softly, "If I offended you, it wasn't my intention."

_Then what was your intention?,_ she wanted to say, _What did you want me to do?_

“I trust you, Cha Eun Jae.” 

They stared at each other for a long minute, until Woo Jin removed his hand on top of hers and the world began moving once again. Eun Jae counted to three before she pushed the needle in, watching the syringe fill up with his blood. She pressed a cotton ball on his arm as she drew the needle back. Once it was finished, she sighed with relief. "I did it." she said in amazement, "Thank goodness that worked out."

"Did you think it won't?" 

"With the way my luck's been going, I won't be too surprised." Eun Jae said with a grin. "I guess it's good to know I'm not completely hopeless."

"You're far from hopeless."

"My performance in anatomy lab begs to differ."

"That incident doesn't define who you are," he said carefully, "There are other things that matter more, as a doctor."

Eun Jae smiled gratefully, the burden inside her lifting a little. "Thank you. I have no intention of giving up, but it's nice to be reminded."

Woo Jin nodded, satisfied. He started clearing up their table, and once again she struggled to continue their conversation. It's as if they were dancing around something unspoken, waiting for each other to make the first move. She didn't know what to do. She desperately wanted to probe him more, but she wasn't sure if she was ready to hear his response. 

So she let go of that moment, helping to put away their tools and shifting their conversation towards their next lesson. She stole glances at him from time to time, admiring the way his brows drew together when he's concentrating and how relaxed she felt just sitting beside him. He may seem aloof and cold, but he’s actually warm and thoughtful underneath his facade. She remembered the time they entered the music competition, his fingers dancing along the piano keys. His smile was broad and infectious when they were onstage, and she liked how it was directed towards her. She wished she could see it again.

"Ya, Cha Eun Jae, are you listening?"

Eun Jae blinked a couple of times, "Pardon?"

Woo Jin frowned at her, "Were you daydreaming?"

She scoffed, busying herself with organising her things into a pile, "I was just thinking of the exams," she lied, "what were you saying?"

"I said, do you want to study together?"

Eun Jae nodded automatically, "I don't mind. When do you want to start?"

"Tomorrow? at the lab?"

“The _Anatomy_ lab?"

"It's for the Anatomy test so...yes, that lab."

She bit her lip. "I don't know if I can...just yet. Maybe we can go somewhere else?"

Woo Jin nodded in understanding, "It's up to you...but you know you can't keep avoiding it."

"I know," she said, "I'm working on it."

She looked at her watch to check the time, “I have to go.” she said, gasping when she saw how late it was.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

”Just an appointment,” she replied hastily, “Thank you for helping me practice, but I gotta run. I can’t be late.”

Woo Jin watched at her curiously but didn't push her for answers, for which she was grateful. She knew that if she wanted to continue down this path in her career, she had to address her problem before it gets worse...and fast. She's worked hard for the past four years to reach the top, she won't give up easily when she's so close to her goal. 

* * *

The following weeks flew by in a blur. Woo Jin's time was consumed by his studies and his job, as well as frequently visiting the university's hospital in preparation for their internship in the following term. He doubled on the hours he worked at the cafe and made sure his payments were on time, so that the loan sharks who visited him before won't reappear in the university. Woo Jin noticed them passing by the cafe several times, smoking a cigarette across the road. However, they never entered the cafe nor approached him; they seemed content to let him know that they can find him if they want to. He tried not to think about its implications in the future. 

Woo Jin was sitting on a bench in the quad, reading his notes, when someone sat down across from him.

"Hey Woo Jin." Kibum greeted him cheerfully.

"What do you want?" Woo Jin grumbled.

"Just wondering what you're up to this weekend." Kibum said innocently. 

Woo Jin flipped to the next page, "Not the blood drive, that's for sure." 

Kibum puts his hands together and bowed his head to the table, "I'm begging you!" he pleaded, "I just need one more volunteer, even if it's only for the afternoon."

"Nah, I'm busy."

"I'll buy you lunch for a week."

"I have work to do. Find someone else." 

"Lunch _and_ dinner?" 

Woo Jin shook his head firmly, but Kibum pressed on, "Please Woo Jin, if you don't help out we will have to cancel the event. The blood bank desperately needs it, think of all the patients who might be waiting..."

"Making me feel guilty won't work."

"Fine, okay. I wasn't supposed to mention this but since you're my friend." Kibum said, leaning in, "There will be hospital professors in the blood drive and they will be observing us. They are most likely going to be our supervisors in our internship. It's a good chance to make a first impression...Well, I'm sure you will do well anyway, but you can impress them as early as now."

Woo Jin stared at Kibum, considering the offer. Truth be told, he doesn't have any plans that weekend. He was planning on doing a long run, but other than that his schedule was free. Meeting their future professors while practicing his skills wasn't a bad alternative.

Woo Jin rested his chin on his hand, "Lunch and dinner. For a week."

Kibum hooted, "Yes! Thank you! Whatever you like!" he cried, "well, as long as its reasonably priced and from the cafeteria, of course."

Woo Jin nodded. "Deal. Where do I go?" 

"We'll set up here at the quad, just come at 9am and I'd let you know where you'll be."

On Saturday, Woo Jin arrived on the dot. There was a short queue of donors patiently waiting by the gate, and he excused himself to enter inside. Several booths were erected on one side of the quad, equipped with a bed, a table, and a chair. Kibum quickly approached him and told him where he will be receiving donors.

"We'll work in pairs to make the process quicker," Kibum explained, "One will interview the donor and check their blood pressure. When they are suitable, you take them to a bed and extract the blood into this bag. I thought we could all rotate jobs after two hours. Do you mind doing the extraction first?"

"No, that's fine."

"Thanks, man." Kibum said, grinning, "Ah, Eun Jae! Over here!"

Eun Jae walked towards them, her ponytail swaying behind her. "Hey, sorry I'm late." she apologized.

Kibum waved it away, "You're just in time. Woo Jin will do the extraction, are you okay to do interviews?"

She nodded, taking the clipboard from Kibum. Kibum was whisked away by two other volunteers, and Woo Jin was left alone with Eun Jae. She scanned the form, "Looks like a standard medical history." she said, "Which booth is ours?"

Woo Jin pointed to the one at the end, "That one is free."

Eun Jae nodded and walked towards the booth. They inspected the supplies, making sure everything was complete and well-stocked. He watched her from the corner of his eye, trying to puzzle something out. She seemed different these days. Normally, when they were approaching midterms week or the dreaded final examination of the year, Eun Jae was a walking bundle of nerves, prone to bad jitters and irritability. However, she looked composed this morning, even relaxed, drumming her pen on the clipboard and smiling. 

"Is there something on my face?" she asked him.

Woo Jin flushed. He tilted his head to one side to study her, "How have you been?"

Eun Jae shrugged, "Still the same. Seulgi and Hyorin both hate me since I made them pull all-nighters two nights in a row."

He raised an eyebrow, "What were you studying?"

"The brain. We went to the lab to look at the specimen, but Hyorin was certain there was a ghost in the room with us." Eun Jae said, chuckling, "There wasn't by the way, it was just Kibum hiding in a corner."

Woo Jin smiled a little, "He's a dork."

"That's what I told him." Eun Jae said, "Anyway, what about you? You seem to be busy again these days."

"Just doing more shifts at work." he replied, "I might need to cut back once we start internship, so I want to save up while I can."

"Aigo, you make the rest of us look lazy." Eun Jae chided him. 

"Well..."

"No, don't finish that thought," she cut in, rolling her eyes, "Oh, I think they're coming in now. Hello, good morning!" 

Woo Jin went to his place and watched as Eun Jae conducted the interview. She sat on the chair opposite the donor, a bright smile on her face. She nodded along as the person responds to her questions, jotting down on her paper without breaking eye contact. She made easy conversation with each donor that came to their booth, and the donors were relaxed and in good spirits by the time they approach the bed. Woo Jin, his social skills severely lacking in comparison to her, bowed to each one to thank them for their donation, and sat quietly on the chair while he waited for the extraction to finish. 

For two hours, they worked like a well-oiled machine, their movements synchronized and complimenting each other. When a bag fills up, Eun Jae was immediately there with a fresh one and takes the completed bag away to be labeled and stored in the cooler for the blood bank. Woo Jin took the donor's vital signs while Eun Jae completed a lengthy interview for donors with complicated medical histories. When there was a gap between donors, Eun Jae tossed him a sandwich and a water bottle. They sat down to eat, discussing their upcoming final exams. After eating, they swap places. 

Woo Jin's interviews were direct to the point, with none of the easy rapport Eun Jae had, but still he did his best to make them feel at ease. At least he was quick and efficient, so it was over before it got too uncomfortable. He saw Eun Jae shaking her head on his attempt to tell a joke to a nervous donor. He cleared his throat and tried a more empathic approach, which earned a nod of approval. 

The day went by quicker than he anticipated, and soon enough the queue waiting to donate was gone. They tidied up their booth and brought the coolers to the hospital staff who were waiting. 

"I'm so tired," Eun Jae said as she massaged her shoulders, "I could really use a bowl of ramyun."

Woo Jin grunted as he drank deeply from a water bottle. He passed one to Eun Jae, who accepted gratefully as she sat down beside him. They stared at the now empty booth in silence, thinking back about the day.

"It was fun." she suddenly said, "I felt like...a real doctor today."

"How so?" he asked her.

Eun Jae pursed her lips, "I guess...talking to other people, reassuring them about what they were about to do, and when I answer their questions, it made me feel good. Like I know what I'm doing, and I feel like they trust me."

She exhaled, "In the classroom, the professor has all the answers. We are constantly being tested and we have to prove why we deserve to wear the white coat. If I get an answer wrong, it means I did not study hard enough. If I get it right, it means I only did what was expected. Here, in the real world, the patient wasn't testing me, they really think I'm the expert and they trust me to take care of them. They lie down on that bed because they believe that I won't hurt them and I will do what I said I will do. Doesn't it amaze you, what power doctors have over their patients?"

He nodded, "I think I know what you mean. It makes me feel satisfied when the patient looks at me and thanks me for helping them, even if its us who should be grateful to them for donating their blood."

"Exactly." Eun Jae agreed, "I've been surrounded by medical books, diagrams, specimens, and tools that I forgot that understanding our patients will always be the top priority. No matter my doubts, I think I can confidently say I like the feeling of helping others."

He smiled inwardly. He was relieved to hear her sounding confident again, and he admired how quickly she bounced back after her incident in the lab. He sent a silent prayer of thanks to Kibum for forcing him to participate in the blood drive. 

She elbowed him on the side, looking at him with a knowing smile, "What was that you were doing in the interview, anyway? You seriously need to work on your social skills."

"I think I did well." he protested.

"I won't call fleeting eye contact and talking briskly as doing well," Eun Jae said, rolling her eyes, "and a knock, knock joke? Really? What was she, seven?"

"It worked, didn't it." he said, getting annoyed, "it made her laugh."

"Trust me, it wasn't the joke she was laughing at." 

Woo Jin made a face at her, which just sent her to another giggling fit. Kibum arrived then and ushered them cheerfully to the restaurant for a team dinner. 

* * *

The bathroom was empty and cold. Eun Jae sat on the toilet cover, tapping one foot on the ground repeatedly. Her eyes were closed as she counted her heartbeats. It's the morning of the final Anatomy exam, and she hurriedly made up an excuse to hide in the bathroom before their class begins. The next hour will decide her future, she knew. Either she faces her fear and win, or she runs away in defeat. She understood which option was the only acceptable outcome. 

When she opened her eyes, she looked down on the bottle resting in her palm. Steeling her resolve, she removed the lid and took one tablet out. It's been weeks since she had a consultation with the doctor about her fear, weeks since she was diagnosed with anxiety and prescribed with medication. Eun Jae could still hear the doctor's voice in her head,

" _Take it only when you a_ _bsolutely have to. It has to be your last resort, or else you will get addicted to it. It's not the answer, you will have to face that fear to get rid of it, but this can help you until you are ready to do so."_

Eun Jae gripped the bottle tightly, waiting for her heart's pace to slow down. Just for today. She only needed it to get through this day, then she can do the rest on her own.

_I got this._

Eun Jae walked out of the bathroom, chin held high and a spring on her step. She stood on her assigned place, smiling reassuringly at her friends. Seulgi gave her a thumbs up, and Hyorin nodded determinedly at her. 

"Fighting!" she mouthed to them, and they both grinned at her. 

She could see Woo Jin at the other side of the room, towering over everyone with his tall stature.

 _What are you going to do during the exam?_ he asked her earlier. 

_What I usually do with my exams._ she answered confidently, _I'm going to ace it._

He caught her eye for a second, nodding slightly at her before turning away. She took a deep breath to re-focus.

"Attention, please," their professor called out, "This is your final anatomy exam. There are twenty stations altogether, each station has ten questions. It will be a mixed general anatomy knowledge and practical test. For the practical exam components, please refer to the body on the station table in front of you. Labels are colour coded depending on the question number. Mind the label colour and the number on your test question so you don't mix them up. You are given three minutes per station. Are there any questions?"

"Please, professor," Daehwi said, his hand raised in the air, "When do we find out the results?"

"Results will be posted this afternoon."

Eun Jae blocked the rest of the chatter, staring hard at the white sheet in front of her. When the professor gave the signal, she lifted the sheet gently and waited for the panic to sink in. 

"You may begin." the professor announced.

Heads bent down in unison to read the questions on their respective tables, except for Eun Jae. She stared at the cadaver, counting to thirty in her head, waiting for the cold sweat, the suffocating lack of air in her lungs, and the dizziness. 

It didn't come.

Her mind was amazingly and wondrously clear, and it shocked her so much that she felt her eyes beginning to well up. She closed them briefly, relieved. She clicked her pen and began her exam with renewed vigour.

* * *

**Results for the Final Anatomy Exam**

**1\. Cha Eun Jae - 93%**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay! I'm back at work and it's difficult to find time to write. >_< Anyway, hope you all enjoyed Eun Jae's fighting spirit in this chapter, and I hope we can be all like her when we have to be. :) 
> 
> One chapter left. <3


	8. The Final Year

"Penlight...stethoscope...thermometer...notebook." Eun Jae murmured, feeling each of her pockets to make sure all her tools were with her. Satisfied, she closed her locker and pulled her ponytail tightly. Dressed in her brand new white coat, Eun Jae left the interns' locker room and joined the rest of her classmates at the nurses' station. There were five of them, some were rubbing their eyes tiredly while others were eyeing the coffee machine longingly.

They're on the last leg of their internship at Geodae University Hospital, and the pressure of their impending graduation was beginning to take root. Despite the demanding case load, long night shifts, and struggling to finish her thesis during her spare time, Eun Jae found she was enjoying her internship year immensely. She took pleasure in examining patients and trying to figure out their diagnoses. She enjoyed scrubbing in on surgeries to watch senior doctors and residents perform procedures she only read before in her books. Eun Jae even found team meetings interesting, where they discuss a patient's case and how best to treat them. She absorbed everything she learned and tried to apply it to the cases she was assigned to. She observed her mentors as much as she was allowed to and practiced on her own until she felt she got it right. Everyday was a learning experience for her, and she relished every second. 

The chief resident, Dr. So, arrived. Eun Jae straightened her eyeglasses and bowed to him, along with everyone else in her group. He nodded back at them, "Good evening," he greeted them, "Tonight is a busy night, so I hope you're all rested. I'll announce where you'll be assisting and you have to immediately report there after this. The resident in charge will brief you about your assignments.As you all know, we only have two months left in this internship, so I'm confident that you all have learned how to make yourself useful in the ward without me watching over you all the time. Don't disappoint me and don't make the residents complain to me that you're not working hard, am I clear?"

"Yes, Dr. So." they replied in unison.

Dr. So nodded, "Cha Eun Jae?" he said, turning to her, "You're going to the Emergency room tonight to assist Dr. Park. and Dr. Lee."

"Understood, Dr. So."

"Off you go then."

Eun Jae bowed and left without another glance, already trying to recall what she knew about Dr. Park and Dr. Lee. Each doctor had their own quirks, and she learned how best to act around them so she doesn't get into trouble. Some residents prefer the interns to stay out of their way until they call for them. Others would challenge their knowledge by having the intern explain a case and why a particular treatment is important, on the spot. All of them were very particular about time, and being late at the beginning of the shift was strictly frowned upon. 

When Eun Jae arrived at the Emergency Room, the two nearest beds were occupied. Dr. Park, a second year resident, waved her over. The man on the table in front of her was groaning in pain, while a nurse cut the seams of his trousers to reveal the man's leg. He cried out in agony, trying to reach for his exposed leg, which was caked in dried and fresh blood. 

"Are you the intern assigned tonight?" Dr. Park asked her conversationally, her eyes never leaving the patient as she continued her examination. 

"Yes, Dr. Park." Eun Jae replied, eyeing the leg with interest, "Is it a broken leg?"

"Maybe. He was on a hit and run incident.” Dr. Park answered.

"I'll get the cleaning tray, Dr. Park."

"Yes, thank you."

Eun Jae rushed off to get the cart of medical supplies from the Nurses' Station. As her hand wrapped around the handle, another hand tried to pull the cart away from her. She looked up, irritated, and Woo Jin glared back at her.

"Move Seo Woo Jin," she said through gritted teeth, "I had this first."

"I got here before you." he insisted, attempting to pull the tray away.

"I have a man with a bleeding leg over there, I need this now." 

"I have a man with a head wound. Go find another cart."

"We're wasting time arguing like this." Eun Jae said with a sigh.

They let the cart go at the same time, looking at each other in surprise. Eun Jae immediately grabbed the handle and wheeled it away, Woo Jin called out to her but she ignored him, smiling inwardly.

A nurse met her to prepare the gauze and disinfectant while Eun Jae moved across from Dr. Park, who nodded at her to begin cleaning the leg. Eun Jae swiftly removed as much blood as she could while Dr. Park checked the wound. She pressed tenderly down the skin, and the man let out a loud cry. Dr. Park pressed her lips together, "We need to take him for an x-ray immediately. Could you ring Radiology and see if it’s free?"

Eun Jae nodded and rushed to phone the Radiology department. After a few minutes, she hanged up and headed back to Dr. Park. Just as she crossed the room, another voice called out to her, "Ya, intern. Come here. Quickly!"

She hurried towards the voice and saw Dr. Lee with his hands covered in blood, his glasses askew as he sutures steadily on someone's arm. "Call Surgery Room 5 and tell them I need ten minutes. Then ring Orthopaedics and ask Dr. Bae to come down here to check this patient."

"Yes, Dr. Lee."

She hurried back to the phone just as Dr. Park called out to her, "What did they say?"

"Ah, we can take the patient there now, Dr. Park!"

"Ok, let's go."

"Y-yes, I'm coming. I just need to call Orthopaedics for Dr. Bae-"

"Hurry up then, I'll meet you there."

"Yes, Dr. Park."

Eun Jae punched the number to call the surgery room and Orthopaedics to leave the message for Dr. Bae. She ran back to tell Dr. Lee his response before hurrying after Dr. Park and their patient. Eun Jae looked at her watch to check the time, grimacing. It's only been thirty minutes since she began her shift and already it felt like she's been working for hours. 

* * *

Woo Jin massaged the back of his neck as he read what he's written on the chart so far, making sure all the instructions his resident told him were written clearly. He put it aside and, flexing his fingers, opened the next one in his pile. It was five o' clock in the morning, and his shift was about to end in an hour. However, he had a mountain of notes to write and he needed to have them ready before the next shift arrives. His stomach grumbled in protest, and he realized that he didn’t have time to eat dinner all evening. Shifts in the emergency room were the busiest and most demanding, and Woo Jin had been assigned there all month long.

He spared a glance across his table, Eun Jae’s head was buried in her own pile of charts to fill up. She hadn’t stopped writing for the last hour, sighing impatiently whenever someone tries to talk to her. It was the first time they were on a shift together on the same department, and he admired the way she worked tirelessly all night. He knew she was smart and capable, but she’d also proven herself to be quick to act. He’d never admit it to anyone, but he was surprised by how she didn’t back down when he tried to take the cart from her. Eun Jae was confident enough to assert herself and he couldn’t help but admire her tenacity. 

“Seo Woo Jin,” she said, interrupting his thoughts.

”Hmm?”

”Who was that resident you were shadowing today?”

Woo Jin stopped to think who she meant, “Did you mean Dr. Im?” 

She nodded, “Is he a resident? I don’t think I’ve met him before.”

”He’s a few years ahead of us,” Woo Jin answered, “He’s in his last residency year in General Surgery. He was called down earlier to check a patient and asked me to help him.” 

“You always seem to be working with him.” 

“He only wants to work with the best ones.” he said smugly.

Eun Jae made a face and turned back to her chart, “Is it always like that in the Emergency room?” 

“More or less. Especially on weekends.”

They continued working in silence for the next few minutes, the rustle of paper the only sound in the room. 

The door opened a crack. Dr. Im Hyung Joon peaked inside, “Seo Woo Jin, are you finish yet?” 

Woo Jin stood up, nodding. “Yes, I’m done. Do you want to check the chart?” 

Dr. Im waved it away, “Nah, I’ll do it later. Have you been in on a gallbladder removal surgery?” 

“No, I don’t think so.”

”Want to scrub in? I’m assisting at Room Four.” 

Woo Jin eagerly nodded, “Yeah, I’d be right there.”

Dr. Im nodded, “Good.” he said, then he turned to Eun Jae, “and you...”

She stood up quickly, causing several charts to fall on the floor. “Cha Eun Jae, Dr. Im.” she said breathlessly. 

“Right,” Dr. Im said, “The next shift will begin soon, make sure you get to the Nurses’ Station on time.” 

Eun Jae’s face fell, “Oh. Yes, Dr. Im.”

Dr. Im smiled, “Room Four, Seo Woo Jin.” he called as he walked away. 

“Yes, sir.” Woo Jin called back, gathering his charts hurriedly. He could feel Eun Jae’s eyes flashing daggers at him as he left the room, and he couldn’t help but look back at her, “Could you turn the lights off before you leave? Thanks.” 

“Ya! Seo Woo Jin!” 

He chuckled as he rushed out of the room before she could say anything else.

* * *

The months flew by quickly, and before she knew it, Eun Jae stood at the podium facing the rest of her class to deliver the graduation message. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes shining brightly. Her parents and siblings sat on the front row, beaming proudly at her. Her mother was wiping her eyes gracefully, as she watched her youngest daughter graduate with the highest honors. Eun Jae was elated, and she looked back at all the time she struggled to get this far: the sleepless nights, shutting herself in her room to study all day, forgetting to take her meals, and being on her feet for more than 24 hours a day in the hospital. Bottles of painkillers and benzodiazepines, along with other miscellaneous medication for all types of illnesses, filled her locker. 

_You did well for enduring, Eun Jae._ she told herself, her eyes brimming with tears.

The auditorium gave her a loud applause as she stepped down to return to her seat. When the ceremony concluded, Eun Jae gave her friends the tightest hug she could muster, as they cried together in happiness. 

"I can't believe we did it." Hyorin sobbed, "I'm going to miss you girls, what am I going to do on my own?"

Seulgi shook her head, "We'd still see each other, we still need to study for the exam!"

Eun Jae puts an arm around each girl, grinning widely, "Congratulations, Dr. Lee and Dr. Kim."

"Congratulations, Dr. Cha" Seulgi replied with a wide smile.

"Girls! We did it! Kibum shouted as he joined their group hug, with Jinho following close behind "Time to celebrate!"

"We still need to pass the exam." Eun Jae reminded him.

"Eun Jae ya, this is a happy day. Don't spoil it with a reminder of our upcoming dark, gloomy months of studying." Jinho said cheerfully, "Shall we go for a drink this weekend?"

"Yes!" they all agreed in unison.

"Maybe everyone else wanted to join too, let me ask..." Kibum said as he called out the invitation to everyone. 

"I have to go," Eun Jae told her friends, "My parents are waiting for me. Send me the details, okay?"

"I will," Seulgi promised, "See you on the weekend!"

Eun Jae walked away and scanned the crowd for her family. She saw Woo Jin standing with a middle-aged woman by the door, and she wondered if she was his mom. Woo Jin put his arms around her as the woman started to cry. He patted her gently on the back, oblivious to the crowd that surrounded them. 

He looked up and caught her eye. She was about to wave at him when her mother blocked her view and squeezed her tightly, then her father joined in, and her brother started to chatter excitedly near her ear she forgot about Woo Jin. 

When she looked up to find him again, he was gone. 

* * *

Spring arrived suddenly in Korea, bringing heavy rain interspersed with bouts of sunshine. The world was bathed in colour by the cherry blossoms and rapeseed flowers that bloomed in majestic splendour all across the country. The newly graduates mourned inside the library cubicles as they study for the Korea Medical Licensure Examination, unable to join in the festivities. 

Woo Jin didn’t care. Since graduation, he took on a number of part time jobs to support himself. He went home to his aunt’s house one day to get the rest of his things that were left there when he went to medical school. 

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for me,” he said, bowing his head to the floor, “I will pay you back ten-fold.”

His aunt placed a hand on his shoulder, “No, Woo Jin. Just live your life well, that is enough for me.”

He could tell she was proud of him, but he felt he hadn’t proven anything to her just yet. Despite her hesitation and the sacrifices she made for him, she never once tried to blame Woo Jin for any of it. Was it out of love or pity? He wasn’t sure. However, she was his only family, and he vowed to try and return the favor. 

“I found an apartment. It’s closer to the hospital for when I start my residency.” he told her as he packed his clothes.

”Do you have money?” she asked him, already reaching for her wallet.

”Yes, don’t worry. I have some savings.” Woo Jin lied. 

He left the house with a backpack and a couple of containers filled with homemade side dishes. Woo Jin rode the subway, gripping his bag tightly. 

_I’m not coming back here until I made a name for myself._

Woo Jin found his top floor flat in an old apartment unit. The flat had only one room, and the bathroom was no bigger than a closet. The lightbulb wasn’t working, so Woo Jin used the light from his phone to study that night. Thankfully, he remembered to pack his sleeping bag from home, so he didn’t have to lay on the cold floor to sleep. It wasn’t the most comfortable night of his life, but he guessed it could’ve been worse. 

Woo Jin barely noticed the passing of time as he struggled to keep himself afloat. The university library was too far from his workplace, so he studied wherever he could. He replaced the lightbulb and treated himself with a sturdy table and chair. When summer arrived, Woo Jin worked for a small construction company who hired him as a painter. He saved every single won he earned, dividing his income into two ways: his father’s debts and for his aunt. Whatever’s left he used to buy food and workbooks. 

Some nights, Woo Jin would stare at the ceiling numbly, trying to remember why he was living so hard. There were some nights he’d rather forget about his plans and just stay in that dark, damp room forever. Other nights, he’d remember how it felt to be inside the surgery room, watching the doctors operate on a patient. Woo Jin would often close his eyes and visualize how his seniors suture body organs. His hands deftly moving in the air, every motion practiced with precision. 

“You know, you are very talented.” Dr. Im told him one day after they came out of surgery, “I’ve never met an intern with as much potential as you.”

He placed a hand on Woo Jin’s shoulder and smiled, “When you get your license, come with me. Together, we will show them how punks like us could change the course of our destiny.” 

Woo Jin replayed those words in his head whenever the pressure to keep going became unbearably hard. It helped him refocus, and it gave him something to work for. He desperately held on to that promise that his life will change for the better soon, he just needed to get through this final hurdle. 

_I can do it, can’t I? I deserve to have something good too._

So he worked, and worked. Then he worked some more. He laboured and studied for months, the seasons changing around him. The summer air left as swiftly as it came, and the world around him was gradually painted in autumn colours.

The days were bleak and grey during the KMLE exam, as if an impending storm was approaching and preparing to unleash itself upon them. Woo Jin went through the motions of taking the test without registering the fact that his entire future hangs in a balance at that moment. Four hours later, he left the building feeling empty, yet relieved at the same time. 

One day, Woo Jin woke up shivering from the cold, and he realised he missed another turning of the season. He got dressed in the warmest clothes he owned and went to the university. 

The hallway was packed full of nervous students. He spotted Eun Jae walking to and fro the length of the room, biting her fingernails anxiously. She paused when she saw him, “Oh? Seo Woo Jin? I haven’t seen you for a while.”

Woo Jin just shrugged, “No results yet?” 

Eun Jae checked her watch, “They said it should come out any minute now.” she studied him curiously, “Seriously, where have you been hiding? Did you go to a tutorial school?” 

Woo Jin shook his head but didn’t answer. There was a sudden buzzing sound, which he realized was the noise of excitement spreading inside the room.

”I think it’s here.” he said 

Eun Jae gasped with surprise and hurried forward, “Ughh, I can’t do it. What if my name isn’t there?” she groaned.

”Don’t be ridiculous.” Woo Jin said, giving her a bit of a nudge forward. 

Eun Jae inhaled deeply, and they both read the list at the same time. 

“First place.” Eun Jae said softly, her face brightening into a wide smile. “I got first place.” 

“Congratulations.” Woo Jin said to her, his eyes landing on his name just below hers. It felt like something clicked in place in his brain, and he let out a long, relieved sigh.

”Congratulations Dr. Seo!” she said to him excitedly, “We did it! We’re really doctors now. I can’t believe it. I need to call my mom.” 

Woo Jin watched her leave before he turned around and exited the door. He barely made it out of the building when his phone began to ring. “Hello?” he said 

“Seo Woo Jin? Is that you?” 

“Ah, hello Hyung Joon sunbaenim.” 

“Yo. I saw the results! Congratulations!” Dr. Im said cheerfully, “I guess I should start calling you Dr. Seo now.” 

Woo Jin smiled a little, “Thank you.” 

“So, I know it’s quite early but I thought I better get in there now before someone else...have you thought about my offer?” 

“Yeah, actually I was thinking of calling you about it too. Do you have time to meet up for a meal?” Woo Jin said as he left the university gate, the day suddenly looking brighter than it did when he arrived.

* * *

Eun Jae pulled her cardigan tighter around her body, “So...why are we having our farewell party by the beach again? During winter? Could someone just enlighten me?”

“A change of scenery,” Jinho supplied, “and its cheaper because it’s off season.” 

“Of course it’s off season,” Seulgi said, her teeth clattering from the cold, “it’s the freaking winter! Who will go swimming at this time of the year?” 

“Hey, that’s not important.” Kibum interrupted breezily, “The hotels are top class. They have a sauna, a spa, and hot jacuzzis, so really you don’t need to swim in the ocean to enjoy that view right? Besides, we won’t get the chance to see the ocean again once we start our residency. Better enjoy it now!”

”We could have at least gone to Jeju island.” Hyorin grumbled, pouting.

Kibum puts an arm around her shoulders, “You know how impossible it is to organise a trip like that for fifty people? Come on, babe. You will love it. I’ll show you around!”

Hyorin rolled her eyes at Seulgi and Eun Jae, but she went and followed Kibum. Seulgi shook her head, “I can’t believe we let him talk us into coming here.” 

“We’re idiots.” Eun Jae agreed, “Oh? I didn’t know Seo Woo Jin came too?”

”Yeah, Kibum and myself convinced him. Took us a week.” Jinho replied, then leaning closer he whispered, “Have you heard? The university offered him one of the resident positions.”

Eun Jae blinked, “Offered? He didn’t have to apply for it?” 

“Is that even possible?” Seulgi wondered out loud.

Jinho nodded, “Apparently it is, if your name is Seo Woo Jin.”

”That lucky brat.” Eun Jae muttered, thinking back of the multiple interviews and practical skills demonstration she had to do in order to get the same residency position in the hospital. 

“He’s always been a genius.” Jinho said, “Woo Jin! Over here!” 

Woo Jin spotted them and waved. Shouldering a backpack, he looked as aloof as he did back in their medical school days, “What the hell are we doing here? I thought you said we’re staying somewhere warm.” 

“Don’t worry it will be warm inside the hotel. Come on let’s go.” Jinho told him brightly as he steered his arm towards the hotel lobby, “Let’s check in then head to the bar, yes?” 

“It’s not even lunch time yet.” Eun Jae complained, “You can’t seriously be thinking of drinking already.”

“Just a shot or two. You know, to officially kick off our party.”

”I guess there’s no harm, it wil warm us up.” Seulgi agreed, grinning as she linked arms with Eun Jae, “We’ll meet you there in an hour’s time.”

Eun Jae exchanged glances with Woo Jin, trying to convey her alarm. Woo Jin shook his head briefly as if to say _just go with it._

Eun Jae sighed in defeat, “Fine, fine. Let’s go.” 

* * *

"Aigo, why did they get so drunk?" Seulgi grumbled, shaking Jinho's arm, "Come on, pour me another."

Jinho nodded sleepily as he picked up the bottle and poured into Seulgi's glass. He turned to Eun Jae, who quickly shook her head. 

"I think I might go for a walk," she said, "just to clear my head."

"Want us to come with you?" Seulgi asked, yawning.

Eun Jae smiled, "No thanks. You two look like you're about to pass out."

Seulgi snorted, "I'm not tipsy at all." 

Jinho grunted in agreement, clicking his glass with Seulgi and drinking in one gulp. He squeezed his eyes shut and rested his head against the back of his chair. Seulgi snickered and poured them both another shot.

"I'll be back." Eun Jae told her.

"All right, we'll be here!" Seulgi slurred. 

Eun Jae chuckled to herself as she walked down the beach, taking her sandals off to feel the sand between her toes. The sea breeze blew, rocking the fishing boats moored nearby. As she walked away from the bar, the sound of music and chatter began to fade until all she could hear was the sound of the waves rolling in and out of the beach. 

Ahead, she could see the little souvenir shop. It was dark, and she reckoned it must be past midnight and the shop closed hours ago. She continued walking down the strip until she reached the sea wall. Steps hugged one side of the wall, illuminated by nearby street lamps. She climbed up, bracing herself against the wind. 

On the top, she was surprised to see someone sitting in the darkness. He sat with both hands resting on either side of him, legs dangling out on the side of the wall. He faced away from the town and the steps she climbed, looking out into the ocean beyond.

She hesitated, debating whether to leave or come closer. He must have heard her footsteps because he turned his head slightly towards her direction, "Hey." he said.

"Hi," Eun Jae said as she walked closer, "Sorry. I didn't mean to intrude."

Woo Jin shrugged, shifting a little to the left to make room for her. She sat down beside him, "What were you doing up here by yourself?" she asked.

"Just admiring the view."

"What view?" she asked incredulously, "It's too dark to see anything."

Woo Jin grunted, "It wasn't dark when I first got here. Anyway, I liked to listen to the waves."

"I guess this is better than listening to drunk singing back in the bar." 

"Shouldn't you stay there with your friends? Make sure they're okay?"

"They're grown ups, they can handle themselves." Eun Jae said nonchalantly, "and most of our class were there, so they will be fine."

She looked at him side-ways and asked curiously, "Do you not like to drink?"

Woo Jin shrugged, leaning back on his hands, "It's fine, I guess. I don't really drink much."

"What was your limit? One bottle?"

"More than that."

"Two? Three?" she guessed, "no way, is it four?"

"Why are you so curious?"

She crossed her arms across her chest, "I'm just making conversation."

"What about you? Why are you here instead of drinking in the bar?"

"I had enough," she said sheepishly, "To be honest, I'm a terrible drinker. In med school, I didn't go out to parties so my tolerance for alcohol is very low. So I escaped as soon as I could."

"I saw you drinking several glasses though." he pointed out.

"It was water." she admitted, "I took one of the empty bottles, rinsed it out and poured the water into it. I pretended I've been drinking soju when really I only had one glass all night."

Woo Jin suddenly laughed out loud, the sound echoing into the night for the longest time. Eun Jae joined in, her cheeks warm.

"Unbelievable." he said, amazed, "Everyone was impressed with your drinking, but you were faking the whole time."

"Cheers." Eun Jae grinned at him, "Now you know my secret. It's your turn to share one."

Woo Jin's laugh faded, and in its place he wore a small, almost wistful gaze. "I don't have anything worth sharing."

"Oh come on. Surely you are hiding something, you look just the type to do so."

"Nothing as good as water soju."

Eun Jae poked him on the rib, and he yelped loudly. "Just tell me."

"Fine," he said, rubbing his side, "You know how the hospital offered me the residency position?"

"Ah yeah, thanks for rubbing that in." 

"Well..." Woo Jin began slowly, "I declined."

She gaped at him, "Are you joking?!"

"Nope."

"What...what were you thinking!?" she shrieked, "Did you really give up an opportunity to become a resident in one of the most sought-after hospitals? Are you out of your mind?"

She exhaled in disbelief as he remained quiet. When she calmed down, she asked, "What are you going to do now?"

"I received an offer from Hyun Jun-hyung to work with him in this new hospital." Woo Jin said, "so I will be starting there next week."

"Oh," she managed to say, "I see. I still don't understand why you would choose that instead of the university."

Woo Jin shrugged, "The money, of course. The hospital is huge and they get a lot of patients in, the doctor's salary is almost double than what the university offers. By the time I finish residency, I'd be richer than anyone else in our class."

Eun Jae shook her head, "I should have known it was the money."

"What else would it be?"

She didn't answer, looking back out into the ocean. The waves crashed against the rocks below them, and she squinted to try and see them in the dark. The clouds moved overhead, and the moon peaked out from behind to cast its faint glow on the world below. She stared at it for a moment, trying to retain every detail of that time in her memory. 

"I told you my secret isn't as good as yours." 

"No, it isn't." she said softly, gazing at him. He was looking at the moon, but his eyes had a far away look in them. She felt like she should say something, right now, but she didn't know what to say. As usual, she felt speechless around him. 

_No, that's not true,_ she argued with herself. She knew she's an opinionated chatterbox, and she felt the need to fill the silence with words. However, whenever she's with Woo Jin it felt like she didn't have to. His silence was comfortable, yet his eyes were constantly observing what's around him. 

"You know, I always wondered about something." 

"About what?"

She pointed at his face, "About what you're thinking when you get that look."

He gave a soft laugh, "Do you really want to know?"

His eyes pierced hers, like two glowing balls of light in the darkness. His face was shrouded in shadows, so she couldn’t read his facial expression very well. 

"Yeah," she replied softly, "I think I do."

She searched his eyes for an answer to her unspoken question. Her fingers itched where they rest, inches away from his own. She forced them to remain still. The breeze blew her hair towards Woo Jin's direction, yet she remained unmoving. 

The movement distracted Woo Jin however, and he abruptly stood up, looking away from her. "It's getting cold, shall we head back?"

She reigned in her own thoughts and nodded, "Sure, Seulgi might start looking for me."

They walked back down the beach, side by side. Eun Jae buried her foot deep in the sand with each step, enjoying the feeling between her toes. Woo Jin walked with his hands buried deep in his pockets, laboriously trying to walk with his shoes on. Eun Jae shook her head at him, "Just take them off." she told him.

Woo Jin shook his head firmly, so Eun Jae gave up and kicked sand towards him instead. She skipped away as he glared at her and tried to return the favor. 

When they passed the bar and the hotel they were staying at, Eun Jae suddenly perked up as she remembered what she saw when they arrived. "Hey, did you know they have a piano in the hotel?"

"Do they?" Woo Jin replied.

She nodded as she stopped walking. Woo Jin was too busy removing the sand from his shoes to notice her sudden excitement. When he looked at her, she was grinning wickedly. 

"What?" he asked suspiciously.

"Shall we play?" she asked, hopefully.

"What? Now?" he asked skeptically, "It's like one in the morning."

"So? It's in a room, no one will notice."

She dragged him to the reception desk before he could argue further. The lobby was empty. She rang the bell twice, but no one appeared. 

She elbowed Woo Jin and nodded towards the closed door across from them, "It's in there."

Taking one more look around, Eun Jae walked towards the room, but Woo Jin grabbed her arm, "What are you doing?" he hissed, "We'd get in trouble."

"Come on, where's your sense of adventure?" she shot back, walking purposefully towards the door. Woo Jin had no choice but to follow her, muttering under his breath the whole time. 

Eun Jae tried the door and was shocked when it turned easily. She gave Woo Jin a wide smile as she opened the door and they went inside. "Go find the lights." she told Woo Jin. 

She walked towards the far corner of the room, where the grand piano sat. She ran a hand over the top, admiring the sleek, smooth finish. She sat on the bench just as the lights turned on. Smiling, she tried playing a short piece, "Ya, I can't believe this has been sitting here all day when we've been listening to out of tune crap all night."

"As if you're any better." Woo Jin folded his arms as he approached, "when did you last play?"

She grimaced, "Uh...maybe ten years ago? eleven?"

Woo Jin watched as she continued to play. She tried a couple of nursery rhymes she learned, giggling like a child as she remembered her piano lessons from ages ago. 

"Ahh, I can't believe I'm going to get in trouble because you wanted to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." he commented.

Eun Jae pouted at him. She moved aside and patted the space beside her, "Come here and play then."

She stopped, realising what she just said. But if Woo Jin noticed, he didn't comment. He sat obediently beside her, almost at the edge of the piano bench, "What should I play?"

She thought it over, "Can you do Chopin's Raindrops?"

"Not without a score."

"Ok, wait a minute..." Eun Jae said, taking her phone out and searching for the sheet music, "Here you go."

She placed her phone on the stand as Woo Jin leaned closer to read it, his fingers moving on top of the keys without touching them. After several moments, he began to play. Eun Jae smiled to herself as she listened, head swaying from side to side. He glanced at her, and she mimed playing her violin along with him, causing him to smile. His arm casually brushed against hers as he played, but she didn’t mind being so near him. They both chuckled when he missed notes or struggled to find his place on the score. 

"How do you play this line?" she asked, pointing.

"Like this." Woo Jin said, showing her.

Eun Jae watched him then tried to mimic his movements. It took her five tries to get it right. “This is seriously harder than it looks." she said incredulously, "How about the next one?"

They went on playing until rays of sunlight began to peek inside the room. Eun Jae could barely keep her eyes open. She yawned behind one hand. Woo Jin noticed and stopped playing, "You're tired."

"Yeah, I am." she grudgingly admitted, "Time to go to bed."

He nodded, "Yeah. It's almost morning."

"Good morning, I guess." Eun Jae said, as she yawned once again. She stood up to stretch her tired shoulders, " I'll see you in a few hours?"

Woo Jin hesitated, "I'm leaving once the first bus comes."

She looked at him, her arms falling down to her sides slowly, "What's the rush?"

"I have to pack and move to my new apartment," he explained, "It's closer to the hospital I'll be working at."

Eun Jae nodded somberly. "I see." she said, "I guess this is goodbye then?"

Woo Jin nodded, "Yeah."

He stood up and walked around the piano until they were standing face to face. She looked up to him, studying every detail.

"You have that look again." she murmured.

“And you have your look too."

"Which one is that?"

"The lost puppy look."

Eun Jae shook her head, “I don’t like that look."

"It doesn't suit you," he agreed, and she scoffed, "Shall we go collect your friends?”

“Good idea.”

They headed back outside and found Seulgi and Jinho both asleep on their chairs. Eun Jae gently shook Seulgi to wake her up, “Seulgi, let’s go back to our room.” 

Seulgi made a non-committal sound and allowed Eun Jae to put an arm around her shoulders to lift her to a standing position. Eun Jae fished for her room key to check the number, “Right Seulgi ya, let’s go.” 

Woo Jin was holding on to Jinho “I’ll take him to his room. Are you ok on your own?”

She nodded, “Yeah, we’re on the same room anyway.”

They stood, facing each other again, their sleeping friends hanging by their sides. Eun Jae had a strange feeling all of a sudden, like she was about to let go of something important. He looked just as lost, but he tightened his grip around Jinho and said, “I’ll see you around then, Cha Eun Jae.”

”See you around, Seo Woo Jin.” she replied. 

He turned around and walked away, supporting Jinho as the other leaned heavily against his side.

“Good luck on your new job!” she called out to him, Woo Jin waved his free hand in reply. 

She felt like she ought to say more, or do more. She watched him walk away from her, and she wondered if their paths would ever cross again. She wondered how different their lives would be then. If he would even remember her. She hoped that she would be wiser and braver when that time comes. 

Seulgi dropped her head gently on Eun Jae’s shoulder, “Eun Jae ya, don’t be sad.” 

Eun Jae nodded a little, “I’ll try.” 

* * *

“You should have told her.” Jinho said out loud.

”What for?” Woo Jin answered gloomily, “It won’t change anything.”

”You don’t know that.” Jinho argued, “I saw how you looked at her. Are you really ok leaving it like this?” 

Woo Jin stopped to look back over his shoulder. Eun Jae was only a tiny dot in the beach, trying to walk with one arm around her friend. He watched as she finally disappeared around the corner, and felt a tight knot forming in his chest. 

_It’s for the best._

”Come on, let’s get you to bed.” Woo Jin said instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A trip to the beach at wintertime sounds reasonable, right? No? 🤣


	9. Epilogue

* * *

Eun Jae eagerly opened the front door of Doldam Hospital. She was already imagining the shocked yet happy reception that the staff would certainly give her. She knew its only been ten days, but it felt like she was gone for months. She wanted to tell Dr. Kim about the offer to stay in Geodae and how she turned it down because she is now Doldam’s own, through and through. She thought he will be very pleased to hear it, and making her mentor happy made her feel jubilant. She couldn’t wait to see everyone and catch up on all the gossip with Ah Reum and Dr. Jung. 

Most importantly, she couldn’t wait to see _him_.

She thought about him every single spare moment she had, but she was often exhausted after surgery or trying to finish a meal before her next operation. She never got the chance to speak to him on the phone, and she longed to hear his voice. She wanted to feel his arms around her again and stay there for days. She hoped he’s not too angry that it took her so long to return. 

The reception desk was empty, but there was plenty of hustling going around. Staff attendants running along the corridor, arms loaded full of medical supplies. Nurses rushed up and down the staircase, whispering quickly and perusing medical charts. Eun Jae stopped to take it all in. From her position, she could look in the window leading to the emergency room, and it was like a warzone inside. 

Eun Jae bit her lip. _I guess my homecoming party will have to wait._

She went directly to the staff room to get dressed. When she entered the emergency room, the first person to see her was Eun Tak, who froze in mid-step, a syringe and a box of gauze in his hands. His serious face broke into a wide smile, “You’re back!” 

“Hello, Nurse Park.” she said, grinning at him.

“Dr. Cha!” Dr. Jung cried when he saw her, engulfing her into a bear hug “You have no idea how happy I am to see you! Seriously, I could cry right now. Thank all the heavens, what a blessing! You came back on the busiest day ever—”

“Let her go before she suffocates,” Dr. Kim said good-naturedly as he approached, smiling at her, “I’m glad to see you again, Dr. Cha. You look well.” 

”Thank you Dr. Kim, I missed everyone.” Eun Jae replied, her cheeks growing pink, “What can I do to help?” 

“You can take over the patient in the hybrid room. He’ll need a full medical check-up.” 

Eun Jae slipped on a pair of gloves and joined Ah Reum, who smiled and squeezed her. “I’m so glad you’re back. I have so much to tell you.” 

“We need to catch up after this.” 

Ah Reum nodded knowingly. She leaned closer to Eun Jae to whisper, “He just left to do a surgery in Room One.” 

Eun Jae smiled at her friend gratefully before bending down to check their patient. 

* * *

Woo Jin scribbled the last few instructions in the medical chart, signing it with a flourish. He stretched his arms overhead with a tired groan. It was probably one of the most gruelling shifts he ever had at Doldam: back to back surgeries in addition to ward duties and several emergency procedures. It was amazing how everything was calm when he came to work this morning and suddenly having to cater to a massive influx of cases at the same time. He felt stretched to the limit, but he couldn’t complain since it kept his mind off other things.

He sighed and started to clear his table. As he double-checked that he had all the charts in order, a pair of soft arms suddenly wrapped around his neck from behind. The scent of her perfume melting the tension he incurred during the last ten days. She gave him a squeeze, her head resting gently on his shoulder.

”I’m home.” she whispered. 

The corners of his mouth lifted up automatically. Life at Doldam had always felt alien since he started working here. Strange but oh, so right. It felt like he belonged, like he was accepted. 

It felt like a family.

With her back beside him, all the missing pieces of his life were finally complete. 

He placed his hands over hers and squeezed them tightly, 

“Welcome back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING! ❤️ I apologize for all the delays, I hope the wait was worth it. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed this little fic :)


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